Coronavirus: five ships detained in UK over welfare fears for crew

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has made an urgent intervention in the growing crisis over the welfare of 1,500 crew on five cruise liners, which British port authorities have detained after a raid on Friday. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it was detaining five of six ships it inspected on Friday morning over serious concerns about the welfare of the crew, some of whom have been stranded for three months in Essex.