MSC pulls out; tourists told to leave Tunisia

MSC Cruises will suspend calls scheduled in Tunisia for the upcoming 2015-2016 season following a spate of deadly attacks, which has also prompted the UK to advise its nationals to leave the north African country.

Changes in scheduling will leave MSC Preziosa’s to be modified from November 15, 2015, to April 23, 2016, to reflect the suspension of the calls in the Tunisian capital city. Calls at La Goulette will be replaced by calls at Valletta, Malta, the cruiseline stated per various press.

The move will also affect itineraries previously scheduled with MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia during their Grand Voyages in November and December 2015, with both ships now to stay a full day in Alicante, Spain, instead of La Goulette, Tunis.

The move comes after MSC Cruises cancelled ports of call in Tunis following the March attack at the Brado National Museum, which some of its passengers were among those killed.

“Tunisia can little afford to be considered a no-go zone at this time, but regrettably that is how tourists will now see it,” MSC Cruises executive chairman Piefrancesco Vago said in a statement.

The cancellations coincide with Britain’s advisement to nationals in Tunisia to leave, warning local authorities could not provide “adequate protection” after last month’s beach massacre that left 30 Britons dead.

“Although we have had good co-operation from the Tunisian government, including putting in place additional security measures, the intelligence and threat picture has developed considerably, reinforcing our view that a further terrorist attack is highly likely,” the Foreign Office said.

“On balance, we do not believe the mitigation measures in place provide adequate protection for British tourists in Tunisia at the present time and we have therefore changed our travel advice accordingly.”

The Foreign Office had previously advised against travel to certain hotspots, including near the borders with Algeria and Libya, but has now urged Britons to keep away from the whole of the country unless they have essential business.

It said that tour operators would be arranging additional flights to bring tourists home from Britain.

The warning comes almost a fortnight after a Tunisian student went on a rampage at a popular beach resort, killing 38 foreign tourists. It was Britain’s worst terror attack since the 2005 London bombings.

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Saturday decreed a state of emergency in the north African country for 30 days, and Prime Minister Habib Essid said on Wednesday that the government feared more attacks.

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