A Disney Cruise Line Crew Member has passed away at sea aboard the Disney Wonder on Tuesday. He will be tested for COVID-19.
The Miami Herald reports that Disney Wonder paint worker Eddie Burgos Ragodon of the Philippines had visited the ship’s medical center in recent days with chills, his colleague stated.
Even though Disney Cruises are not currently running, there are still Crew Members on board. The Disney Wonder is traveling around the Caribbean to repatriate Crew Members who have been on board Disney Cruise Line since the industry came to a halt in March due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We are saddened by yesterday’s passing of our longtime Crew Member, and we are mourning along with his family,” said Disney spokesperson Kim Prunty in an email.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said via email to the Miami Herald that Ragodon will be tested for COVID-19. Since March 1, over 255 people on board the Disney Wonder have tested positive, though at the time of this article’s publication it is not yet clear if Ragodon’s death was caused by COVID-19. For nearly a month, no Disney Wonder Crew Members have tested positive.
Ragodon worked on the Disney Magic ship based in Port Miami from December 2019 until early March 2020 when he transferred to the Wonder, the Miami Herald found on his Facebook profile. He is survived by his wife and children in the Philippines.
At this time, Disney Cruise Line has canceled summer cruises, and the company is now offering a Cruise Date Flexibility feature, which allows Guests the option to change their sail date up to 15 days prior to their cruise. This is a temporary feature for any new or existing cruises booked prior to August 31, 2020 for sailings through March 31, 2021. You can read more here.
Our hearts go out to Ragodon’s family, friends, loved ones, and fellow Crew Members.