Coronavirus Scare: Indian Embassy In Tokyo Responds To Stranded Odia Engineer’s Distress Call

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Embassy in Tokyo has responded to the fervent plea of an Odia engineer, Shibasis Nayak, stranded on cruise ship ‘Diamond Princess’ at Yokohama port in Japan for over a fortnight.

In a video message, he had requested the Government of India to airlift him along with other Indians on board.

Kalinga Right Forum, a voluntary group, had also shot off a mail to Consulate General of India, Japan ,on February 19, requesting for immediate evacuation of Shibasis and other Indians on the cruise ship.

The Embassy has established contact with the Odia engineer through e-mails and WhatsApp phone calls, the reply from the First Secretary (Cons), Embassy of India, Tokyo Anil K Kalra said.

“Shri Nayak has intimated that while he is very much concerned and worried about the situation onboard, he is presently keeping good health. The Mission has provided him a contact point in case he needs any further assistance,” it read.

At present, there are 138 Indian nationals on the cruise ship, quarantined off the coast of Yokohama.

“The Embassy is coordinating with Japanese authorities and ship management company for health, safety and welfare of onboard Indian nationals,” it added.

A software engineer and a resident of Pandara Street in Old Berhampur, Shibasis works in a firm in Gurugram. He had left for Malaysia to work on a project on January 10. After finishing the work, he and his colleague boarded the cruise ship at Vietnam.

The vessel was detained at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal at the Japanese port on February 4, and passengers quarantined, after a person, who had disembarked in Hong Kong on January 25, tested positive for coronavirus.

Shibasis has reportedly tested negative for the deadly virus, which has so far claimed 2,118 lives in China.