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Coronavirus: Evacuation flight for Britons on Diamond Princess lands in UK

A flight carrying Britons evacuated from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan has arrived back in the UK.
The Foreign Office said 32 British and European passengers - who have been quarantined on the liner for 16 days - were on board.
The flight landed at Boscombe Down, an airbase in Wiltshire, after leaving Tokyo late on Friday night.
The group will travel on coaches to Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral, where they will spend 14 days in quarantine.
The passengers have so far tested negative for Covid-19, the illness brought on by coronavirus.
The flight took off from Tokyo's Haneda Airport late on Friday evening (GMT) and landed at Boscombe Down, a Ministry of Defence base in Wiltshire, about 11:30 GMT on Saturday.
In a statement issued after the plane landed, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the Foreign Office had "worked hard" to get the passengers "back to the UK securely".
"Our number one priority has consistently been the health and safety of UK nationals," he added.
The flight had previously been delayed after the British embassy said it was "logistically complicated".
Meanwhile, it has emerged the NHS is working on plans to test people for coronavirus in their own homes if the outbreak begins to spread in the UK.
A pilot scheme has already been launched in London, where tests are being carried out by NHS staff, such as nurses and paramedics.
The health service is planning to expand this to other areas outside of the capital in the coming weeks.
Professor Keith Willett, the NHS strategic incident director for coronavirus, said the aim was to avoid the risk of people spreading the infection by going to their GP or A&E.
https://twitter.com/foreignoffice/status/1230994777237344258
Some 78 Britons were on the Diamond Princess when it was quarantined 16 days ago.
Some of the British passengers on the Diamond Princess had already been evacuated over the last week on flights to Hong Kong, organized by the Chinese authorities there, a government source has told the BBC.
Others are being treated for the virus in health facilities in Japan.
David and Sally Abel, a couple from Northamptonshire who was diagnosed with coronavirus on the cruise ship, have since been told they have pneumonia, their son said.
Appearing alongside wife Roberta, Steve Abel said in a YouTube video late on Friday evening that his father's condition was "very serious", while his mother has a more mild form of pneumonia.
He also said he's "really distressed" parents - who had been on the cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary - called him to say they were being moved to a different hospital.
Mr. Abel said: "They've gone from being told that they're going to have all these wonderful treatments, and 'we're going to wait over the next two or three days just to see how they respond to the treatments', and now all of a sudden they're being told 'we have to move you to a different hospital'."
He said his father is so "weak" he has been using a wheelchair and has been told he could be put on a ventilator.
The Foreign Office said the welfare of all British nationals is of the highest priority to the UK government.
They added they are working with the Japanese authorities to ensure those British nationals who are remaining in Japan for health reasons get the best possible care.
At least four UK nationals have contracted the virus onboard the cruise ship, but those flying home have tested negative.
More than 620 people onboard the cruise ship tested positive for the virus - the largest cluster of cases outside China.
It is understood that some British nationals are members of the ship's crew who could be staying onboard the ship.
Two Japanese passengers - both in their 80s and with underlying health conditions - were confirmed to have died after contracting the virus on the Diamond Princess.
The cruise liner was carrying 3,700 people when it was quarantined in Yokohama on 5 February, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was found to have the virus.
source: BBC
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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