Pensioners stranded on the cruise ship MS Zaandam last night begged the Government not to “leave us adrift to die”.
Yvonne and Paul Wilson are among 300 Brits onboard the liner, where at least four people have died from coronavirus.
Around 150 others are said to be suffering from flu-like symptoms.
Speaking from the ship, which is stranded off the Pacific coast of Panama, 75-year-old Paul, from Huddersfield, said: “We feel such despair because we feel the Government wants to leave us adrift to die.
“We haven’t had any word or a concerted effort from our Government.
“The most frightening thing is we don’t know how anyone can manage the logistics of getting us home when we can’t even get into a port that will accept us.”
Cruise company Holland America is in a race to get healthy holidaymakers off the ship before the virus spreads further.
Passengers are being tested for the bug and those in the clear are being transferred to sister ship, The Rotterdam, alongside it.
Tonight the Wilsons’ daughter, Sally Dunkley, 41, said: “We are terrified we will never see them again.
"Mum is so frightened she told us that the house now belongs to my brother and I, and Dad is checking all his life insurance is in order.
“We are beyond worried. We’ve not had a word from the British Government about how they will deal with this.
“The Rotterdam sent small boats with testing kits. Those who test positive will be left on the Zaandam which will essentially become a hospital ship.”
The Wilsons’ journey went as planned until passengers started falling ill following a stop at Punta Arenas, Chile, on March 14.
The ship tried to turn back to dock for passenger testing but was refused entry.
There are fears the boat could become another Diamond Princess, which suffered 10 deaths after 700 passengers got Covid-19.
Guy Jones, son of fellow passengers Celia and Nick Jones, of Bristol, last night appealed for the UK Foreign Office to get involved.
Nick, 65, a retired head teacher, and Celia, 63, went ahead with their holiday after Government guidelines said it was safe to travel to South America.
Guy, 33, a theatre stage manager, said: “They seem to be quite well at the moment but our biggest worry is how they will get home.
“When they were first put into lockdown on Monday, the announcement over the tannoy said about 30 people had fallen ill and it was a precautionary measure.
"But on Friday they were told four people had died.”
Elsewhere, British travellers stranded across the world have pleaded for chartered flights to be sent out after aircraft this week rescued 3,000 citizens stuck in Peru.
Esther Hulme and Lewis Kellett, stranded in India, begged for help from the Foreign Office and claimed police “intimidate and beat” foreigners with sticks.
India’s borders have been closed for 21 days to halt the spread of Covid-19 through its 1.3 billion population.
Esther and Lewis, from Leeds, said they were kicked out of two hotels by staff and are now stuck in a hostel in Goa with 16 others, living off rice and crisps.
Civil servant Esther, 25, said: “Today, queuing for food, police pulled out big sticks as an intimidation technique. I’ve heard of middle-aged British women left bruised from being hit.
“The embassy advised us to follow local procedure but they don’t realise the reality.”
Retired physicist John Siddle, 70, is among 4,000 Britons thought to be stranded in Bali.
The grandad-of-three, from Southport, Merseyside, was quoted £2,000 for a flight home via Australia to the UK.
His daughter Nina, 29, also in Bali, said: “My dad is at a higher risk from the virus and it’s spreading quickly on the island. I just want him to get home.”
And Jonny Bolt and Gemma Greenwood, both 25, stranded in Cebu, Philippines, spent nearly £3,000 on flights which were then cancelled.
Teacher Jonny, 25, from Burnley, Lancs, said: “There are people sleeping rough, running out of money.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was “working around the clock” to get people home.
As a last resort, RAF transports could be called in to help repatriate up to a million Brits.
No10 sources said Brits have so far been rescued from places including Ecuador, New Zealand, India and Cuba.
