The captain of a cruise ship that has been stranded on the River Clyde as a result of the global coronavirus restrictions has called Glasgow the "friendliest city" he's ever been to.
Captain Gianmario Sanguineti was speaking from Peru after finally returning home in December after having spent six months aboard the Azamara Journey on the Clyde.
The cruise ship, along with the Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Quest, has been berthed at the King George V Dock at Shieldhall since July - and is likely to remain here until March.
And Captain Sanguineti says he is "eternally grateful" to the devoted care of global seafarers’ charity Stella Maris - founded in Glasgow in 1920 - for the help they provided him while stuck in the city, reports Flourish Newspaper.
Speaking about his time in the city to Stella Maris, he said: "I would say Glasgow is the friendliest city I’ve ever been to. I come from a small town in Italy called Chiavari – near Genoa – where there is a real sense of community. I would say Glasgow and the Stella Maris team in this city are exactly the same – God bless them all.”
Captain Sanguineti spent his time in Glasgow with his wife Marianna, who signed up to be a crew member on the Azamara Journey to enable her to remain onboard after the tightening of coronavirus restrictions originally meant she was unable to return home to Peru.
In respect of Stella Maris, Glasgow Live revealed back in September how the Vatican honoured the charity with specially commissioned stamps to mark their 100th anniversary
The charity is the largest ship visiting network in the world, with centres located in over 300 ports in 55 countries, offering hundreds of seafarers and fishers 'a home away from home' every day far from their countries of origin.
For more info on the work of Stella Maris or to donate to them, click HERE
