1 month ago
By CIARÁN GILES
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year]
MADRID (AP) — A cruise vessel stuck successful nan northeastern Spanish larboard of Barcelona will beryllium capable to resume its way aft a group of Bolivian passengers pinch visa problems were taken disconnected nan alloy connected Thursday, authorities said.
The Spanish authorities said successful a connection it had reached an statement pinch MSC Cruises Company successful which 69 Bolivian passengers were removed from nan vessel and taken to a transit area successful nan port, but were not granted support to participate Spanish territory.
The vessel sewage stranded successful Barcelona this week aft nan Bolivian passengers were not allowed to disembark because they lacked valid documents to participate nan European border-free Schengen area, an ID-check-free recreation area comprising 29 European countries that Spain is portion of.
Barcelona was meant to beryllium nan last destination for nan Bolivian passengers, but nan vessel was scheduled to recreation onward to different countries.
The cruise institution agreed to supply different vessel from Livorno, Italy, for nan Bolivian passengers later Thursday, nan authorities connection said. It was not clear if that vessel would stay successful Barcelona until nan business is resolved aliases return nan Bolivian passengers elsewhere.
Under nan agreement, MSC Cruises will besides supply nutrient and wellness attraction for nan impacted Bolivians and migration officials will activity to resoluteness nan passengers’ visa problems arsenic quickly arsenic possible, it added.
The MSC Armonia, pinch much than 1,000 passengers reportedly connected board, plans to sail to Italy connected Thursday, nan cruise institution said.
Solange Duarte, a Bolivian diplomat successful Barcelona, told The Associated Press connected Wednesday she had received reports that immoderate of nan stranded Bolivians had been duped into obtaining clone visas but had nary further information.
“We person asked nan families to bespeak who has processed this visa and we person not gotten answers,” she said.
Spain’s nationalist constabulary were looking into nan anticipation of a clone visa scam, Duarte said.
MSC Cruises said successful a connection Wednesday nan Bolivian “passengers appeared to person due archiving upon boarding successful Brazil” but Spanish authorities later said nan visas were not valid for introduction into nan Schengen area.
