A crew member of a bulk carrier ship was arrested after allegedly jumping into the sea from the ship, swimming ashore at a Western Australian port.
Shipping crew are not allowed on Western Australian land under the emergency management COVID-19 quarantine directions.
According to the police, the man was found at an Albany backpackers lodge before being placed into quarantine and testing negative for COVID-19.
The Vietnamese national has now been charged with failing to comply with a direction and was due to appear in Perth magistrates court on January 10.
Western Australia has taken stricter measures to control COVID-19 risk from shipping, responding to outbreaks on board bulkers and livestock carriers.
Specifically, since October, seafarers are restricted to disembark at Perth, or must board charter flights to Perth within eight hours of disembarking at another Western Australian port. Upon arrival in Perth, they must be stay at a quarantine hotel for 14 days at their own expense.
Source:https://safety4sea.com