The number of people that a South Korean government plane will bring from a quarantined cruise ship in Japan has risen to seven. 

Initially, the Air Force Three sent to Japan on Tuesday planned to fetch five people, four South Koreans and a Japanese spouse, from the Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama, but two more South Korean crew members applied to board. 

The plane carrying medical personnel, quarantine staff and Foreign Ministry officials left Seoul Air Base at around noon and arrived in Haneda Airport in Tokyo at 2:50 p.m.

After evacuating the people from the cruise ship, the plane is expected to return to Gimpo International Airport at around 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

Upon their arrival, the evacuees are expected to be sequestered for 14 days at a state facility in Incheon.

There are currently 14 South Koreans, including nine passengers and five crew members, on board the cruise ship and none are reported to have contracted the virus.

A total of 542 passengers and crew members aboard the vessel have reported to be infected with COVID-19 as of Monday.