Passengers from a Princess cruiseship were given a nasty welcome at the Indian Ocean island of Reunion on Sunday when protests by local residents turned violent.

The 77,400-gt cruiseship Sun Princess (built 1995) called at the island, a territory of France, as part of an extended cruise from Australia to Asia and Africa.

Around 30 local protesters attempted to stop tour buses carrying the ship’s predominantly Australian passengers from leaving the port by setting up blockades and throwing bottles and rocks, according to Australian media reports.

Police responded with teargas in an effort to disperse the protestors, while the Sun Princess’s master recalled the passengers back aboard as the situation ashore was deemed too unsafe.

The protesters said they feared passengers and crew might bring the Covid-19 coronavirus to their island as the ship had previously called at ports in Asia before sailing to Africa.

They said that although the ship might not have declared any cases of the virus, it did not have any reliable testing capabilities on board, and none of the passengers who disembarked at the port had their temperatures checked.

The Sun Princess is one of many cruiseships that has had its schedules disrupted by nervous port and health authorities.

Earlier on the voyage it was turned away from Madagascar, while permission to visit Mauritius was also revoked.

The Sun Princess is now heading directly to Australia and is expected to dock in Fremantle on 10 March.

Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corp subsidiary, has constantly made international headlines since a major outbreak occurred on its 115,900-gt Diamond Princess (built 2004) in early February.

The ship, which has been held under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama since 3 February, disembarked its last crew members over the weekend.

Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said over the weekend that the ship is now empty and ready for sterilization.

TradeWinds reported on Monday that many ports from the Caribbean to the South Pacific have been been turning away cruiseships due to fears that they might spread the coronavirus.