1,500 people stuck on MSC Armony cruise ship in Spain due to Bolivian passengers’ visa problems
- Authorities say 69 Bolivians are not being allowed to leave the ship because they lack valid documents to enter the European Union’s border-free Schengen area
- Meanwhile, roughly 1,500 other passengers on board the MSC Armony are hoping to continue the cruise to Croatia
Spanish government officials in the city said they are in contact with Bolivian authorities and the MSC Cruises Company to resolve the situation.
Spanish state news agency Efe and other media said that some 1,500 passengers were meanwhile on board the MSC Armony hoping to continue the cruise to Croatia.
A statement from the Bolivian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said the Bolivian Embassy in Spain and the country’s consulate General in Barcelona “are carrying out the pertinent steps to address this case,” coordinating with Spanish authorities, as well as with the MSC Cruises Company.
MSC Cruises said in a statement the Bolivians included families and children.
It said the “passengers appeared to have proper documentation upon boarding in Brazil. We have been informed by the authorities that the visas are not valid for entry into the Schengen area.
As a result, passengers have not been able to disembark in Barcelona, which was their final destination.”
The company said the ship remained in port while it works with authorities to facilitate the process.
