First cruise ship carrying 2,000 stranded Israelis back from Cyprus docks in Ashdod

The first Mano Maritime cruise ship bringing stranded Israelis back from Cyprus, in coordination with the Transportation Ministry, arrived in Israel earlier this morning.

Some 2,000 passengers were on the luxury ship Crown Iris for its voyage from Limassol in Cyprus to the Ashdod port in southern Israel, the Transportation Ministry says.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev, alongside Transportation Ministry director general Moshe Ben Zaken, Ashdod port chairman Shaul Schneider, and other officials, welcomed the returnees upon their arrival at the port.

“Operation Safe Return is a national mission,” says Regev. “We continue to work vigorously, with all tools and means, to return Israeli citizens home safely.”

About 50 buses and minibuses were waiting at the port to take arriving passengers free of charge to the Ashdod train station, and to Beersheba, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.

The Transportation Ministry emphasizes that the maritime space remains open, and repatriation operations are ongoing, subject to the approval of defense officials to maintain the safety of passengers.

“This is a complex logistical operation carried out in full cooperation between all authorities,” says Ben Zaken. “The Mano cruise is the first but not the last one – additional passengers are expected to return this way in the coming days.”

Ashdod port CEO Nissan Levi adds: “During these days, port workers are continuing to work tirelessly between sirens to meet the needs of the Israeli economy and to receive repatriation ships with dedication and responsibility. This is a testament to the Israeli spirit that characterizes us.”