There is an absolute nightmare developing on a cruise ship stuck at sea!
What was supposed to be a weekslong polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica has resulted in fear and chaos after a suspected deadly hantavirus outbreak! And it’s really bad, y’all!
If you don’t know, hantavirus is a rare and very dangerous disease typically spread through infected rodent droppings or urine. It can cause severe respiratory illness. While early treatment can improve survival odds, there is no cure. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Gene Hackman‘s wife Betsy Arakawa actually died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome after she was exposed in her New Mexico home last year. She was found dead in her home, dying days before her husband died of unrelated heart disease and advanced Alzheimer’s.
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On the MV Hondius cruise ship, three people have already died, and three others have already become sick! According to the World Health Organization, “one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases.” That’s a total of six infected travelers, three of whom have already died. Truly devastating.
WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Of the six affected individuals, three have died… pic.twitter.com/SqMAAZzoID
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 3, 2026
The Dutch cruise liner is currently off the coast of Cape Verde, but on Monday, they were denied permission to dock on the island. The company operating the vessel, Oceanwide Expeditions, said that no one is allowed to disembark at this time, but options are being investigated.
WHO stressed that “medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew,” and the org “is facilitating coordination between Member States and the Ship’s operators for medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, as well as full public health risk assessment and support to the remaining passengers on board.”
According to officials, a 70-year-old Dutch man died on April 11 after suffering from a fever, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Per Oceanwide Expeditions, his cause of death couldn’t be determined on the ship. He was disembarked on St. Helena on April 24 along with his wife. On April 27, the ship was informed the wife, said to be 69, fell ill during her return travels and later died. Most recently, a German national died on Saturday, May 2, while on the ship.
A sick British man was removed from the ship and taken to South Africa on April 27, where he tested positive for hantavirus. That said, the three deaths have not been confirmed as hantavirus.
There are also currently two crew members — one British, one Dutch — who are experiencing “acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe.” They “both require urgent medical care.”
The ship remains off the Atlantic Ocean at this time, with “149 people on board, representing 23 different nationalities,” including 17 passengers from the US. Among them is passenger Jake Rosmarin, who is now speaking out about the terrifying experience, emotionally sharing in a TikTok video posted Monday:
“I am currently on board the MV Hondius, and what’s happening right now is very real for all of us here. We’re not just a story. We’re not just headlines. We’re people. People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home. There’s a lot of uncertainty and that’s the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home. So, if you’re seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it, and that this isn’t something happening somewhere far away. It’s happening to us right now. … I just ask for your kindness and understanding.”
@jakerosmarin I also want to acknowledge that Oceanwide Expeditions and the entire crew onboard have been handling this situation to the best of their ability, and I’m very grateful for their efforts throughout. It’s not easy for me to talk about this, but I am doing well. ❤️
Read the ship’s full timeline of events HERE.
We are sending the passengers so much love and well-wishes right now. Truly so scary. Healing vibes to all those who have grown sick, and of course, our deepest condolences to the family and friends of those who have sadly already lost their lives.
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