US puts up $750K to evacuate an American who was aboard hantavirus cruise ship from remote island
Summary
The Trump administration spent $750,000 to charter a private yacht to evacuate an American woman from a remote island after she was exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship. The costly evacuation added strain to the State Department’s emergency budget, which is also handling other urgent evacuations from conflict and disease outbreaks.Key Facts
- An American woman exposed to hantavirus aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius was evacuated from Pitcairn Island, a remote place with about 50 people and no airport.
- The Trump administration paid $750,000 to charter a private yacht for her evacuation.
- The MV Hondius cruise ship had a hantavirus outbreak causing illness and at least three deaths among passengers.
- The woman traveled from the cruise ship to San Francisco, then to Pitcairn Island via Tahiti before the evacuation.
- The State Department’s emergency budget, known as the “K Fund,” is at its lowest level in seven years due to multiple expensive evacuations.
- The department is considering moving up to $50 million from other accounts to replenish the emergency fund but has not made a final decision.
- The evacuation efforts also include U.S. citizens leaving the Middle East due to the Iran conflict and possible evacuations from Ebola-affected countries.
- The State Department said it provides help when Americans abroad face risks and cannot access normal travel options.
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