All it is advisable find out about ‘rat virus’ ship as captain’s security claims uncovered
Need to know
A captain told guests his ship was ‘safe’ just as a deadly rat virus killed three people, sparking a terrifying situation for 150 passengers on the vessel
An aerial view of an ambulance boat approaching the MV Hondius(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
- A deadly virus has turned a luxury cruise into a nightmare after three people died from a rat-borne illness. The MV Hondius was hit by a hantavirus outbreak, leaving passengers terrified as the scale of the disaster became clear.
- Shocking footage shows the ship’s captain telling passengers the vessel was safe just as the first victim died. He claimed the death was due to “natural causes” and told holidaymakers there was no risk of infection.
- Believing the captain’s word, elderly passengers continued to dine and mingle together without wearing masks. Travel blogger Ruhi Cenet captured the tense atmosphere, noting that the lack of warnings put everyone on board at massive risk.
- The ship may have spread the virus to one of the world’s most remote islands during a scheduled stop. By docking at Tristan da Cunha, the cruise line potentially exposed isolated locals who have very limited access to doctors or hospitals.
- The true scale of the crisis emerged when a 69-year-old British passenger tested positive in South Africa. It sparked an immediate total quarantine of the vessel as more people began to fall seriously ill.
- Multiple people, including the ship’s own doctor, have since been evacuated by medics in specialist hazmat suits. A British guide and a German woman are among those airlifted to Amsterdam for emergency life-saving treatment.
- Over 150 passengers from 23 different countries remain trapped on the ship as it heads toward Tenerife. More than 20 Brits are currently waiting to be flown home, while health officials monitor others who returned before the quarantine.
- Survivors who paid over £8,000 for the trip are now calling for a major overhaul of cruise safety standards. Experts argue that expensive ships must have onboard labs to detect viruses quickly and prevent such scenarios.
- Read the full article here: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/captain-rat-virus-plague-ship-37121746
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