An elderly Maltese couple was on Monday transferred from the cruise liner they had been stranded on and disembarked in Valletta.

Marthese Bonello and Joseph Mercieca were on board the cruise shop Columbus, which they boarded back on 25 February in Sidney, Australia.

Transport Minister Ian Borg posted footage on Facebook saying that the couple, as well as workers assisting them onto the tugboat were wearing protective clothing.  He said that the couple are in good health and thanked the workers who assisted in their return.

The couple are now to follow a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

On Thursday, the couple pleaded with the Maltese government to to allow them to disembark in Malta rather than continuing on the vessel's intended destination to the UK. Both Bonello and Mercieca suffer from cardiac and respiratory problems, which would make them more vulnerable if they contracted the Coronavirus.

The cruise ship will be heading back to the UK.