mv hondius hantavirus passenger plea canary islands

Passenger on hantavirus-stricken cruise ship pleads: ‘We want to go home’

Passenger speaks out from virus-stricken ship

Amid mounting uncertainty over the fate of the cruise ship ‘MV Hondius’ – held off the coast of Cape Verde following a hantavirus outbreak – one passenger has decided to put a human face to the ordeal unfolding onboard. Travel content creator Jake Rosmarin has posted a video on his social media channels, capturing the fear, exhaustion, and anxiety felt by those still waiting for a resolution.

‘We want to go home’

In the footage, the passenger delivers a direct message: “We want to go home.” The phrase sums up the mood of those still on the vessel, as international health authorities weigh up their next move, with the Canary Islands remaining one of the possible disembarkation points. The ‘MV Hondius’ is currently anchored off Cape Verde after local authorities refused it entry to port on health grounds.

Canary Islands among options under consideration

Among the options being explored is for the ship to head to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz de Tenerife for further medical checks and treatment of the sick, though no final decision has been made at this stage. In his video, Rosmarin appeals for empathy, reminding viewers that those on board are more than just a headline in an international news story.

‘We are not just headlines, we are people’

“We are not just headlines, we are people, people with families, with our own lives, with people waiting for us at home,” he says. The content creator explains that the hardest part of the situation is the lack of certainty. “There is a lot of uncertainty, and that is the hardest part. All we want now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to go home,” he states in the message broadcast from the ship.

A call for kindness and understanding

Rosmarin also asks for understanding from those following coverage of the outbreak: “If you are watching coverage of this, remember that there are real people behind it, and this is not something happening in a faraway place. It is happening to us right now.” The passenger adds that he will share more information when he can and requests “kindness and understanding.”

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