TROPEA – A 71-year old Sheikh arrived at this Calabrian port aboard his yacht and tested positive for Coronavirus on arrival, Italian health authorities have disclosed.

 The Kuwaiti Sheikh, who was not immediately named, and his guests and staff on board the yacht were travelling through the Adriatic and Ionian sea, coming to Italy from Croatia. The other passengers were also tested for Covid but their results were negative while the billionaire owner of the yacht has been taken to hospital in nearby Catanzaro.

 The yacht appeared before the port of Tropea on Wednesday afternoon, their passage having being picked up upon by the Maritime Agency of Sanremo. As a precautionary measure, given the increase in Coronavirus cases imported from abroad, all passengers were tested by the Vibo Valentia Health Department in a pre-dawn raid at 4 a.m. the next day. The rest of the passengers and staff on board the yacht tested negative but are required to stay on the yacht until a second test is carried out on Wednesday or Thursday. If they then test negative again, it is expected they will be allowed to step ashore.

jhh