All but 7 of the international mariners from Russia and the Urkraine will leave managed isolation and quarantine in the next 24 hours to join their vessels.
235 mariners arrived into New Zealand on 16 October on a charter flight from Moscow and have since been in a dedicated MIQ facility at the Sudima Christchurch Airport hotel.
The mariners had their 14 day stay in managed isolation extended by more than a week. After a total of 22 days in managed isolation, daily health checks and up to five COVID-19 tests for some, 228 of the group will depart MIQ.
They will have a final health check today and are expected to depart on Saturday for their vessels. Thirty-one of the group tested positive during their stay and were transferred to