A seafarer has died with Covid-19 on a Pavimar bulker off Spain, and seven more cases have been identified on board.

The 57,900-dwt Alis (built 2013), flagged in the Marshall Islands, has been anchored off Algeciras since 23 May.

Government sources told the Area website that the vessel is awaiting permission to dock after five seafarers tested positive in the past seven days.

Three others had already been taken off the vessel. A crewman was disembarked in Motril but later died due to cardio-respiratory arrest, while two more were taken to hospital in Malaga.

All had tested positive for Covid-19. None of the positive crew members still on board were exhibiting serious symptoms.

The vessel left Chennai in India on 30 April. The presence of the Delta variant has not been ruled out.

Authorities are keeping all sanitary protocols in place in case it is necessary to transfer any more of the crew to hospital.

The ship was destined for Gibraltar but finally requested entry into Algeciras.

Health authorities were awaiting clearance from the port authority for docking and a crew change.

More deadly

Pavimar has been contacted for further information.

The latest wave of Covid-19 continues to prove more deadly than previous surges, due in part to the highly infectious nature of the Delta variant that was first detected in India.

Earlier this month, Norway's Utkilen confirmed that an Indian seafarer had died from Covid-19 and four other crew members had tested positive for the virus after an outbreak on the 19,500-dwt Straum (built 2010), which was at anchor off Trinidad & Tobago awaiting cargo.

TradeWinds reported earlier on Wednesday that Taiwanese container line Evergreen Marine is bringing home the body of an Italian master who died on board on 13 April off Indonesia.

Asian ports had refused to take the body of 61-year-old Angelo Capurro, after a number of crew members tested positive on the 5,090-teu Ital Libera (built 2007), partner line Hapag-Lloyd said.

"Force majeure has been declared and due to no Asian ports accepting the vessel, she has been diverted to call Italy first in order to repatriate the captain," the German company added.

"Hapag-Lloyd expresses our condolences to the captain’s family."