Couple pleading to get home as ports refuse to let passengers off South American cruise

A couple from Warwickshire are pleading with the UK authorities to help them find a way home from South America.

John and Linda Langford were meant to be home days ago, but because of coronavirus they are still on the ship as it tries to find a port that will let them off. That's something the travel industry says is unprecedented.

Watch this video report by Hannah Bechelet.

The couple have been on a cruise of South America since leaving Chile on 5 March.

They were due to end it in Buenos Aires in Argentina on the 19th - but new rules brought in over coronavirus meant only Argentinians could leave the ship.

The Coral Princess did then dock in Montevideo, Uruguay, but the port would only let them get supplies and fuel.

Linda said, "it was horrible, it was just horrible because it became evident then how bad this will be."

The port in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil also wouldn't let passengers off.

Travel expert Simon Calder says it's something the travel industry hasn't seen before.

Now the ship is heading for Fort Lauderdale in Florida, hoping to dock and disembark on 6 April.

But the Langfords say they're still concerned that if they are still able to get off the cruise liner there, they may be quarantined for up to 14 days, with no prospect of getting flights home.

Back in the Midlands, that's something their daughter, Georgina Forsyth, is worried about too.

Linda and John are among around 400 British people on board the ship - where no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed.

The couple and their family are clear that they want repatriation flights sent over to get them, and their fellow British passengers on board the ship, home.The Langford's are just hoping they can get on land to get a flight.

Both the Coral Princess and the Foreign Office say they are working hard to get them home safely.