Australia seizes black box in raid on coronavirus-hit Ruby Princess cruise ship

Australian police has raided the coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship and seized its black box.

The Ruby Princess berthed on Monday after weeks stranded at sea to allow doctors to assess sick crew members and take the most serious cases ashore for medical treatment.

Police have launched a criminal investigation into operator Carnival Australia over the circumstances that led to thousands of passengers disembarking in mid-March despite some exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

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New South Wales Police said they wore protective suits and masks, and boarded the vessel in Port Kembla, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Sydney, on Wednesday night. At least 15 died later, and hundreds of passengers were diagnosed with coronavirus. Over a thousand crew members remain on the vessel and the majority wanted to stay onboard.

These fatalities account for nearly a third of Australia's death toll of 51. The country has recorded over 6,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

In a similar case, anothercoronavirus-stricken cruise ship wasallowed to dock in Montevideo and the passengers will subsequently be flown home. The cruise ship, Greg Mortimer, with more than 100 infected people on board, is anchored some 24 kilometers (15 miles) offshore and will be allowed to dock on Friday.

Of 217 people on the ship, the Greg Mortimer, 128 had tested positive for the virus that causes the COVID-2019 disease and 89 tested negative.