Moment captain of rat virus-stricken cruise insists 'ship is safe' as he announces first death on board
The captain of MV Hondius is heard saying the first death on the ship was a result of “natural causes”.
This is the moment the captain of the doomed rat virus-stricken cruise told passengers “the ship is safe” as he informed them a fellow holidaymaker had just died.
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A video clip posted on Instagram shows the MV Hondius’ captain announcing the first death during the outbreak of the rare hantavirus disease.
In footage captured by Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Çenet, the captain is heard saying the first death was a result of “natural causes”.
“Whatever issues he was struggling with, I’m told by the doctor we’re not infectious. So the ship is safe when it comes to that,” the captain said.
Read more: Rat virus cruise ship row as Canary Islands insist stricken vessel will not dock in its ports
Little did he know that the virus would go on to kill at least two more people on board the ship, and now health authorities are in a race against time to trace the spread of the fatal rat-borne disease.
The 35-year-old travel blogger said that the group learned the fate of the first doomed passenger in an emergency meeting at 9am.
“We felt that there was something wrong. We normally don’t see the captain,” he said, adding: “I started filming because the atmosphere was tense.”
But normal life on the boat continued following the announcement as the passengers assumed nothing more sinister was at play, he said.
Mr Çenet added: "Since we were not told of any contagious disease, everyone was relaxed.
"They didn’t even consider the possibility of having such a contagious disease. They didn’t take the problem seriously enough.”
He claimed that elderly passengers continued to interact in the following days, while everyone ate together and no one wore masks.
But on May 2, a 69-year-old British passenger tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated to South Africa, leaving the remaining passengers stuck on board as a quarantine was rolled out.
There are now a total of eight confirmed cases linked to the ship, which was travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Africa.
A British crew member who has been taken ill with the virus has been evacuated to the Netherlands. He has been identified as former police officer Mike Anstee, 56, who is now an expedition guide on the MV Hondius.
Last night, speaking from a Dutch hospital he said "I'm not doing too bad".
The World Health Organisation has been trying to establish how the virus got on the ship, with the first person who died having developed symptoms on April 6.
A 70-year-old Dutch man died on April 11 and his body remained on board until April 24, when it 'was disembarked on St Helena, with his wife accompanying the repatriation', Oceanwide Expeditions said.
23 other people disembarked at this point.
The man’s widow was taken ill on a flight from St Helena to South Africa, and she died on April 26 upon arrival at the emergency department of Johannesburg hospital.
Health officials are now trying to trace at least 80 passengers who were on board the same two flights as the Dutch woman before she died.
More than 20 Brits, including passengers and crew, are trapped on board the 353ft exploration ship which spent four days stranded off the coast of Cape Verde.
The virus is thought to have been brought on board after a Dutch couple caught it during a birdwatching trip in an Argentinian rubbish dump.
Both of the Dutch nationals have died, with the only other fatality understood to have been a German passenger.
Five cases of hantavirus have been confirmed by the World Health Organisation, including two of the most recent evacuees.
Oceanwide Explorations, the operator of the Hondius, said on Wednesday night: Oceanwide Expeditions continues to manage an ongoing medical situation on board m/v Hondius.
"Oceanwide Expeditions can confirm that the first of two medicalised aircraft, carrying two of the three individuals transferred from MV Hondius earlier today, has landed in the Netherlands.
"The two individuals on board have been received by specialist medical and screening teams. The second medicalised aircraft carrying the third individual is currently experiencing a delay.
"The individual on board this aircraft remains in a stable condition. We will provide an update on the arrival of this second aircraft as soon as possible.
"Oceanwide Expeditions can confirm that MV Hondius departed Cape Verde at 19:15 CET and is now heading north. Under the current plan, MV Hondius will sail for the Canary Islands. This is expected to take 3-4 days. Three additional medical professionals have embarked MV Hondius to provide optimal medical care during the crossing.
"Oceanwide Expeditions remains in close and continual discussion with relevant authorities regarding our exact point of arrival, quarantine and screening procedures for all guests, and a precise timeline. We are unable to confirm the details of onward travel for guests at this stage.
"This is dependent on medical advice and the outcome of stringent screening procedures. Close cooperation continues with local and international authorities, including the WHO, the RIVM, relevant embassies, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.