The La Perouse, usually dedicated to luxury cruises, set sail on Friday evening with a hundred residents of Wallis and Futuna. To board the Ponant company yacht and be repatriated from New Caledonia, they had to follow a very strict procedure.
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Posted on May 8, 2020, 2:24 p.m., updated on May 9, 2020 at 1:02 p.m.
For Wallis and Futuna, no question of taking of risk : the territory intends to stay Covid-19 free. The hundred passengers who finally begin the crossing between Caledonia and the “fenua”, this Friday, have been screened in the past 48 hours. So many negative income tests.
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Higher administration
It is the higher administration of Wallis and Futuna (in essence, the prefecture) which managed and funded the operation. She was responsible for contacting travelers, including giving them their boarding schedule and instructions related to life on board. La Perouse.
I went to stay in metropolitan France. I arrived [en Calédonie] March 21th. I went to contain the hotel. Afterwards, I was confined to the family. I’m happy to come back, finally. Even if it’s long. I’m happy to go see the family, the woman, the children.
– A returnee
By waves
The first arrived at 8 a.m. on Friday morning at the Harbor Station from Noumea. Another group followed at 10 a.m. The next were expected at 2 p.m., then 4 p.m. for the last. Called one by one, passengers pass through classic controls international travel, immigration and security. Add the health obligations : temperature measurement and distribution of protective equipment.
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Me, it’s been since the beginning of March. I was here in Evasan. I was accompanied by my son. There, we have the chance to go to Wallis, with a cruise ship, that does it.
– A returnee
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Confined in the cabin
This is where containment begins, in the exterior cabins with balconies. Departure scheduled at 7 p.m. for five to six days at sea, and the rest of the fortnight to go off the coast by Mata Utu. Before finally being able to land, a final test is planned. But most of these Wallisian and Futunan residents were blocked in Caledonia for long weeks, after suspension of flights. Even long months.
Some testimonies collected by Anne-Claire Lévêque:
Testimonies from Wallisian and Futunan residents
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And the full radio report:
Boarding on Ponant for repatriation
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I am happy to return, find the family and the habits of Wallis. I came on vacation to see the Noumea family before going to France to continue my studies. I should go there in August but with confinement, we don’t know …
– A returnee
Floating containment hotel
they have patient with family members, sometimes at the hotel, financially supported by an allowance paid by the Wallis administration. For many, this departure was made with emotional farewells, but they were happy to finally set course for the house. Once in Wallis and Futuna, the La Perouse should stay there and serve in the next few weeksfloating containment hotel for travelers arriving by plane.
Caroline Antic-Martin and Gaël Detcheverry’s report:
A ship in Caledonia since early April
The yacht luxury of the Ponant company has been in Noumea since Sunday April 12. The La Perouse had set sail for a cruise on January 2 in the south of the New Zealand. He was caught up by the context of pandemic and closing maritime borders to ocean liners, as well as the approach of the southern winter.
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Crew
Meanwhile, the passengers were disembarked in mid-March in Wellington. Vessel, which rhymed last year with the tourism controversy in Chesterfield, has been allowed to stop over in the territorial waters of New Caledonia. With drastic conditions for 92 crew members, long required to stay on board.
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