US Troops Breach Covid Restrictions In Ireland

US Troops Breach Covid Restrictions In Ireland

US Troops Breach Covid Restrictions In Ireland Image Credit: Shannon Airport

US TROOPS breach Covid restrictions with hotel visit in Limerick, Ireland

Authorities in the US have had to apologise to the Irish government after they were alerted to the fact that more 50 of their army personnel were in serious breach of the Covid rules. A US Navy C40A aircraft, carrying five crew and 48 military troops, arrived at Shannon Airport from Bahrain at 7.06pm on Monday, January 25th. The passengers then spent a night in a hotel in Limerick in Southern Ireland before returning to the US at 11:35am the next day.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said that none of the travellers had presented a negative PCR test, as is required by law on entry into the country, and that no passenger locator forms had been completed. In addition, the troops had also left their hotel to go and buy food, the Minister claimed.

“Once informed of this breach of regulations by An Garda Síochána, the issue was raised with the US authorities, both through the US embassy in Dublin and through our embassy in Washington,” Mr Coveney said.

“The US authorities have undertaken a review of the circumstances which led to this breach.

“They have also confirmed that the passengers concerned were operating in a ‘clean bubble’, were tested repeatedly during the period they were deployed in the location where the flight originated and, following instructions by An Garda Síochána, self-isolated in a hotel in Limerick overnight, only leaving once to purchase food, while masked, before returning to Shannon Airport the following day to travel onward to their destination.”

“We have emphasised to the US authorities that all landings must fully abide by the conditions put in place by the Irish authorities, including public health conditions,” Mr Coveney added.

“The US authorities have assured me that this is understood and will not happen again.”

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Sarah Keane

Former teacher and health services manager with a Degree in English, Sarah moved to Spain from Southern Ireland with her husband, who runs his own car rental business, in 2019. She is now enjoying a completely different pace and quality of life on the Costa Blanca South, with wonderful Spanish and expat friends in Cabo Roig. Sarah began working with Euro Weekly News in 2020 and loves nothing more than bringing all the latest national and international news to her local community.

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