US pays $750K to evacuate American from hantavirus cruise ship island
10 reported3 unconfirmed
The Trump administration has allocated $750,000 to charter a private yacht to evacuate a single American citizen from Pitcairn Island, a remote British territory in the South Pacific, after she had been aboard a cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The woman, who may have been exposed to the virus while aboard the Dutch MV Hondius cruise liner in April, had disembarked and traveled to Pitcairn via San Francisco and Tahiti. The costly evacuation has further strained the State Department’s emergency budget, known as the “K Fund,” which is at its lowest level in seven years. The State Department is considering transferring up to $50 million from other accounts to replenish the fund, though no decision has been made. The woman was not symptomatic, and the U.S. is transporting her from Pitcairn to Easter Island, a Chilean territory, so she can return to the United States for treatment. The evacuation was arranged via the “Titaina Explorer” trimaran yacht owned by a wealthy Frenchman, and the voyage to Easter Island can take up to 10 days.
What’s reported
The Trump administration put up $750,000 to charter a private yacht to evacuate one American citizen from Pitcairn Island.
The woman had been aboard the Dutch MV Hondius cruise liner during a deadly hantavirus outbreak in April.
She traveled to Pitcairn via San Francisco and Tahiti after leaving the ship.
The State Department’s emergency “K Fund” is at its lowest level in seven years.
The department is considering transferring $35 million from embassy security accounts and $15 million from diplomatic programming accounts into the fund.
British authorities sought urgent American assistance to evacuate the woman from Pitcairn, their territory.
French Polynesian authorities rejected initial attempts to send her to Tahiti because she had not disclosed her exposure when transiting.
The woman was not symptomatic and is being moved to Easter Island, which has direct flights to Santiago.
The evacuation was arranged via the “Titaina Explorer” trimaran yacht owned by a wealthy Frenchman.
Maritime tracking shows the yacht departed Pitcairn Island on June 5; the voyage to Easter Island can take up to 10 days.
Open questions
The exact total cost of the evacuation, as the operation is still underway.
When the woman will return to the United States.
Whether the State Department will transfer funds from other accounts or ask Congress to replenish the K Fund.
Key figures
The American woman (unnamed)
Two U.S. officials (anonymous)
The wealthy Frenchman who owns the Titaina Explorer (unnamed)
Sources: abcnews.com
