By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE family of a South African woman who died in this county is said to be distraught and desperate to have her body repatriated home.

However, their efforts have so far proven fruitless.

The problem is 29-year-old Nobuhle Bhengu, pictured right, a MSC crew member, died in February from the highly infectious tuberculosis disease, a source intimately involved in the matter told The Tribune yesterday.

This was confirmed following an autopsy and health officials deemed it not prudent to embalm or transport the deceased woman without creating a public health risk.

Under such circumstances, a recommendation was made that cremation be carried out.

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands would not confirm any of these details yesterday, but said: “Health and foreign affairs (officials) have been engaged, transparent and sympathetic with the family.”

She had battled what appeared to be a misdiagnosed illness while on board the MSC Seaside and was advised to seek medical attention here at a local facility while the vessel was docked. Bhengu was consequently admitted to hospital for several days and died.

There is now a battle against the clock.

Her sister Mbali told South African media outlet News24 the death has affected her family, and that their grandmother had been admitted to hospital, seemingly failing to deal with the fact that she may never see her granddaughter again.

She said: “We are told that they want to cremate her, and that is really painful to hear knowing that you may never have a chance to say our last goodbyes.”

Mbali said when her sister left for her cruise assignment in July last year, she was healthy and was given a medical fitness certificate by a doctor.

“She told me that she fell sick in January, but said they only took her to the hospital in the Bahamas on February 8, where she died four days later.”

She said The Bahamas government told her family that it cannot repatriate her body because she was infected with TB, and it feared that the virus might spread to other people during the repatriation process.

“There has been no death certificate given to us, and now we ask ourselves questions as to whether there could be some foul play by the hospital, and would like to destroy some evidence by burning her body,” said Mbali. “Please bring our sister back, we loved her, and we just want her to be buried here at home,” she further told News24.

She said that one of her brothers has since come to The Bahamas, but has not been allowed to view the body, nor has he been told when he can view it.

“We don’t know if indeed it is her who died because they won’t even allow our family members to view her,” Mbali added.

MSC Cruises said they were “deeply saddened” by her death and expressed deepest condolences to her family and friends, the SA new station said.

“As soon as we became aware she had passed, we worked closely with the competent authorities in the Bahamas to facilitate any applicable procedures, and provided support to her family throughout the process.

“We have arranged flights for some close family members to grieve her loss and pay their respects,” the company said in a statement.

MSC said out of respect for the deceased and her family, and to honour her medical privacy, the company was unable to disclose any further details.

A woman claiming to have been Bhengu’s roommate on the ship has said on social media she went to onboard doctors for a month with no consistent treatment before she was too weak to walk for longer than five minutes. The woman further claimed Bhengu did not have TB, but was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia instead by ship doctors.

The SA high commissioner in Kingston, Jamaica, Lumka Yengeni, has requested the intervention of the Bahamian government through its foreign ministry, to put the cremation on hold.

A letter circulating on Facebook from Mr Yengeni to the funeral home allegedly holding Bhengu remains on March 5 has asked that nothing be done until there is a formal response from the Bahamas government.

“This letter serves to inform you that the South African High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica, with non-resident accreditation to the Bahamas has requested the intervention of the government of the Bahamas through its foreign ministry to put on hold the cremation of the mortal remains of Ms Nobuhle Ntombenhle Bhengu, which was a decision taken without the consent of the next of kin,” the letter read.

“The High Commission further wishes to convey that until a response has been received from the government of the Bahamas, you may not proceed with the cremation of the mortal remains of Ms Nobuhle Ntombenhle Bhengu.”