A COLWYN Bay man is stuck on board a cruise liner in the Malacca Strait north west of Singapore.

The ship, MV Columbus, has been ordered to curtail its world cruise and sail back to Tilbury. The Columbus is owned by Cruise and Maritime Voyages, and can carry 1,400 passengers.

Tecwyn Vaughan Jones, a former lecturer at the American College in Bangor said: “We were told that Jakarta would not accept the ship today and this morning, following the cruise line policy the cruise has now been curtailed and we will be returning to London Tilbury tout suite and will arrive on April 13th.

“We will call in several ports for provisions but no passengers will be allowed ashore due to the Covad 19 'emergency. The passengers are generally relieved a decision has been made. At least there is no one aboard affected and this will reduce that possibility.

“Cruise ships, because of the age range on board, are particularly vulnerable but so far so good.

"In fact we might be safer on board than ashore.

"Our first port for provisions in Vietnam decided that it didn't want us, even in their territorial waters, and so we're tramping in the China Sea at the moment and just come outside the port of Singapore which has told us to stay away.

"Phuket Island in Thailand has offered a spot for us so long as we don't dock and do all the conveyancing by tender.”

He added: “Also it has now been arranged that we will meet our sister ship, the Vasco de Gama so that any European and British passengers can transfer to our ship and all Australian and New Zealand passengers can transfer to the Vasco de Gama and be taken to Perth, again this transfer will have to be done by tender."

He added: “Our ship will be totally full then and current passengers are scared these new passengers might bring the virus on board. All activities continue onboard regardless, but the non British passengers have no idea how they get home once in Tilbury, this is quite an experience.”