The 88-year-old Maltese man stranded on a cruise liner in Cambodia has described the “eerie feeling” aboard the ship since the majority of passengers were evacuated following a suspected case of coronavirus.

“Our human comforts are well taken care of, but the general feeling is one of frustration and boredom with a very capital B!

“There is a bit of an eerie feeling now that we are left on board, just 200 instead of 2,000, and missing friends. We were a table of 10 and are now reduced to just three,” he told Times of Malta in an email sent from aboard the MV Westerdam.

The man, whose name is being withheld on request of his family, is one of the remaining passengers still aboard the MV Westerdam, after all other passengers – including two other Maltese – were evacuated.

He made his comments hours before health authorities finally issued an all-clear to the remaining passengers.  

On Tuesday, Times of Malta reported how the senior citizen was stranded on the cruise liner – a day after alerting the Maltese authorities about his case.

Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said that the International Health Regulation representatives had confirmed the presence of the Maltese man in Cambodia and the authorities were trying to contact him to plan the way forward.

The man’s relatives had questioned how he remained on the ship when a Maltese couple had been evacuated.

The dynamics that led to this are not yet clear.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Times of Malta that the ministry had not received any requests for assistance from this third passenger, either directly or through his relatives. He said the ministry became aware of the other two passengers through a relative who contacted it.

Asked if the authorities were doing anything to bring the man to Malta, the spokesperson said: “At this stage the Maltese citizen, like the rest of the 250 passengers still on board, should rigorously follow Cambodian and cruise ship instructions.”

On Monday, Anamaria Magri Pantea and Vincent Magri told Times of Malta that an 18-month wait for the cruise trip in Asian seas had turned into a nightmare for the couple. They returned home over the weekend.

The elderly man was not aware of the presence of the other two compatriots aboard the ship. The Westerdam was at sea for two weeks, during which it was barred from Japan, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand over fears it could be carrying the virus, which originated in China and has now killed nearly 1,900 people.

Elated passengers leave Cambodia cruise ship after virus all-clear 

On Wednesday, dozens of the stranded passengers finally disembarked from the ship after being given the all-clear. 

Cambodia's wily premier Hun Sen squeezed PR value from the arrival of the US-owned ship, greeting the first passengers to leave the ship with hugs and flowers. 

"Thank you very much M. Prime Minister," a jubilant passenger -- one among 230 who disembarked on Wednesday -- told local TV as she left the ship.

"I didn't know him before so I am just grateful that he let us in." 

The head of cruise operator Holland America said he was thankful for the help Cambodia provided. 

"It's been a whirlwind, and I want to take a moment to say how sincerely appreciative of each and every one of you we are," Orlando Ashford told a crowd of passengers and crew, later walking off to the Sister Sledge song "We are Family". 

In Phnom Penh, former passengers staying at a luxury hotel since Saturday rejoiced after Cambodia's health ministry said more than 700 people tested over the past two days have been cleared.

"All passengers have normal health with no noticeable problems and no-one had high temperatures," the ministry said in a statement.

American Christina Kerby said it was "great news", but she was worried about the stigma dogging Westerdam passengers -- especially once they return home.

"I want people to remember that... there’s a human behind each of these stories, and those who are ill deserve compassion," she told AFP.