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BARCELONA, Spain –
A cruise ship reportedly carrying 1,500 passengers was caught Wednesday within the Spanish northeastern port of Barcelona as a result of visa issues of a bunch of Bolivian passengers who had been as a consequence of disembark there, officers mentioned.
Authorities say 69 Bolivians weren’t being allowed to go away the ship as a result of they lacked legitimate paperwork to enter the European border-free Schengen space. Solange Duarte, a Bolivian diplomat in Barcelona, advised The Related Press she acquired experiences among the stranded Bolivians had been duped into acquiring pretend visas however had no additional info.
“We’ve requested the households to point who has processed this visa and now we have not gotten solutions,” she mentioned, including she heard it was attainable the Bolivians could be transferred to a special ship.
Spain’s nationwide police was wanting into the potential for a pretend visa rip-off, Duarte mentioned.
Spanish state information company Efe and different media mentioned some 1,500 passengers had been on board the MSC Armony hoping to proceed the cruise to Croatia.
Bolivia’s deputy international affairs minister, Fernando Perez, mentioned the nation was ready “to see what the Spanish authorities determine what to do.”
A press release from the Bolivian Overseas Ministry on Tuesday mentioned the Bolivian Embassy in Spain and the nation’s Consulate Normal in Barcelona “are finishing up the pertinent steps to handle this case,” coordinating with Spanish authorities, in addition to with the MSC Cruises Firm.
MSC Cruises mentioned in a press release the Bolivians included households and youngsters.
It mentioned the “passengers appeared to have correct documentation upon boarding in Brazil. We’ve been knowledgeable by the authorities that the visas should not legitimate for entry into the Schengen space. Consequently, passengers haven’t been capable of disembark in Barcelona, which was their ultimate vacation spot.”
The corporate mentioned the ship remained in port whereas it really works with authorities to facilitate the method.
The Schengen space is an ID-check-free journey zone comprising 29 European international locations, most from the European Union.
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