‘Hantavirus Cruise’ Passenger Speaks for First Time After Filming Captain’s ‘Odd’ Death Announcement

A passenger aboard the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak has spoken out for the first time to claim guests were “not well-informed” after he filmed the vessel’s captain’s “odd” announcement that a passenger had died.

Turkish travel vlogger Ruhi Cenet filmed the moment the captain of the MV Hondius updated passengers on April 12 that a guest had died the previous night during the voyage, but insisted that the on-board doctor had told him that the health issues suffered by the deceased were “not infectious.”

A total of three passengers have died so far, and five others were believed to have been infected with a strain of hantavirus. Authorities in several countries are now attempting to trace passengers who disembarked from the ship.

Cenet boarded the Hondius in Argentina on April 1 to document a stop in the South Atlantic. At one point, the captain appeared to address passengers personally for the first time.

“I felt something odd,” he said, explaining his reason for recording.

In the video, the captain said: “This is my sad duty to inform you that one of our passengers suddenly passed away last night. Tragic as it is, it was due to natural causes, we believe. And also whatever health issues he was struggling with, I’m told by the doctor, were not infectious, so the ship is safe when it comes to that. The ship is safe. This gentleman, unfortunately, succumbed to natural causes. And like I say, we do what we can in order to continue in a safe and dignified way.”

Cenet told NBC News that daily life aboard the vessel continued largely unchanged after passengers were told the death posed no infectious risk.

“It turns out we were not well-informed,” he said. “It’s very scary because it was nothing that we were ready for.”

He continued: “Knowing that we didn’t get isolated and we didn’t take any caution for a solid 12 days, for my part, is a very sad situation.”

“I already kind of isolated myself from the crowd,” Cenet added. “I started having my meals in my own cabin.”

He disembarked on the British overseas territory of Saint Helena on April 24. The following day, he said, he shared a flight to South Africa with the wife of the first passenger who died. She later also died.

Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions told NBC News that the cause of death was unknown at the time of the captain’s announcement and insisted “proper procedure was followed” throughout the voyage.

Watch above via NBC News.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!