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World

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morethanoutbreak

Three dead in suspected virus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship

Just nowAmy WalkerGetty ImagesThe Ambition cruise ship, pictured last year, is currently docked in BordeauxMore than 1,000 passengers are being held on a UK-operated cruise ship in France after 49 people fell ill from gastroenteritis.Local authorities in Bordeaux said three passengers had been isolated in their cabins on the Ambition, while other passengers will not be able to disembark in the port.They added that there was "no reason" to link the outbreak to the hantavirus outbreak on a separate cruise ship.Ambassador Cruise Line told the BBC a 92-year-old man had passed away onboard on Sunday, but he did not report any related symptoms and his cause of death is yet to be established by a coroner.The cruise operator added: "We are providing every support to the deceased's friends and family and extend our most sincere condolences to them at this difficult time."It said in a separate statement that "a number of guests and crew onboard Ambition have displayed or are displaying symptoms consistent with gastrointestinal illness".It said enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols had been implemented across the ship "in line with established public health procedures following the initial reports of illness".The cruise line said that as of 11:00 BST on Wednesday, 48 passengers were displaying symptoms consistent with gastrointestinal illness, as well as one crew member.There are currently 1,187 guests and 514 crew members on board the ship, according to its operator.The cruise ship set sail from Belfast on 8 May, before heading to Liverpool the next day.In its statement, Ambassador said there was a reported increase in cases after guests boarded in Liverpool.It added that health and safety measures introduced since the initial reports of illness included increased cleaning and disinfection in public areas, as well as ongoing guidance to guests about hand hygiene and reporting symptoms to the onboard medical team.As part of a scheduled stop at Bordeaux in southwestern France, the operator said it had advised French health authorities of the situation.

BBC NewsMay 13

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World

4updates

helpnigeriadead

Nigeria plans to repatriate nationals willing to leave South Africa after attacks

2 hours agoMakuochi OkaforBBC Africa, LagosAFP via Getty ImagesFishermen in the Lake Chad region live and work among jihadist fighters Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after Chad's military launched air strikes on Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad region, a local fishermen's leader has told the BBC.Abubakar Gamandi Usman, chairman of Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, said several of the union's members were missing and estimated more than 40 had died.No bodies have yet been recovered but Usman believes some fishermen were hit by the strikes, while others drowned after attempting to flee in overloaded boats.Authorities in Chad and Nigeria have not commented, but on Sunday Chad's presidency said it had carried out retaliatory "intensive air strikes" on Boko Haram strongholds.In a statement on Facebook, the presidency said it had responded to "unjustified attacks" by Boko Haram, which took place last Monday and Wednesday and targeted Chadian military bases near Lake Chad, reportedly killing at least 24 soldiers and two generals.The Lake Chad basin is a huge region of waterways and swampland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. It has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap). "After Boko Haram attacked Chadian forces, they retreated to islands they operate from. Fishermen also inhabit these islands," Usman told the BBC.After Chad's air force began circling overhead on Friday, panic broke out, with both Boko Haram fighters and fishermen attempting to flee.The search for the missing fishermen has been slow, Usman said, as some parts of Lake Chad are very deep. The local community also has limited access to canoes, as many are controlled by Boko Haram, Usman added."Boko Haram controls access to the fishing grounds, transporting fishermen to and from the fish market to the fishing site. Boko Haram collects taxes from these fishermen," he said.Recently, the region has seen a rise in attacks on security forces, as well as kidnappings and raids on communities.Chadian military operations have been accused of causing civilian deaths before - in October 2024, the air force was said to have killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen during air strikes targeting Boko Haram fighters on Tilma Island in Lake Chad.Nigeria's authorities have not publicly commented on allegations that fishermen have been caught up in the recent strikes.More stories about Nigeria from the BBC:Getty Images/BBCBBC Africa podcasts

BBC NewsMay 11

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World

2updates

residentschiefcruise

WHO chief reassures Tenerife residents ahead of arrival of virus-hit cruise ship

Just nowSarah RainsfordSouthern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Granadilla, Tenerife ReutersPassengers were dressed in hazmat suits and hosed down before boarding a plane in Tenerife after being evacuated from the shipSpain is evacuating passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in the Canary Islands.Health Minister Mónica García said the operation was "proceeding normally" and that all passengers on board the MS Hondius were still asymptomatic.With a long camera lens, passengers could be seen wandering around on the deck of the ship, or at the windows, all in white medical face masks, as the first evacuation took place.Several sat socially distanced on the first evacuation boat, filming and taking photos as they approached land, where they were met by officials in white protective suits.The ship's passengers are being divided into groups by nationality to be ferried to shore. They are being taken by bus to the local airport, where charter planes will repatriate them to their home countries.Footage of passengers on the airport tarmac showed staff involved in the operation pulling white hazmat suits over passengers' clothes, then hosing them down next to the stairs of the plane before boarding.Fourteen Spanish nationals will be the first to disembark, then those flown out by the Netherlands, including Dutch, Greek and German passengers, and part of the crew.Other flights are poised to depart after that, including to the UK and US. The last evacuation flight is expected to leave for Australia on Monday.ReutersThe first passengers to be evacuated from the cruise ship are Spanish nationalsReutersThey were pictured boarding buses to Tenerife's airport after reaching landThe Hondius pulled into the port of Granadilla before dawn on Sunday, a month after the first passenger died on board.The sun rose to reveal it anchored offshore, with military police boats on patrol and a major operation unfolding on land to help more than 100 passengers and crew disembark.At about 07:00 (06:00 GMT), medical teams went on board to check everyone for signs of the virus.There have been meticulous preparations to receive the ship, which won't be permitted to reach shore: a security perimeter of one nautical mile was enforced around it as it approached the island.Dozens of intensive care specialists are on stand-by at the Candelaria hospital in Tenerife in case anyone from the Hondius becomes seriously ill during the transfer. A strict isolation facility has one bed fully equipped to deal with infectious diseases, complete with testing kit and a ventilator."We are absolutely ready," chief intensive care doctor Mar Martin told me on the unit, where large numbers of protective suits, masks and gloves are already piled up for staff."We've never seen [hantavirus] before – but it's a virus, with some complications, just like we manage every day. We are fully trained for that."Chief intensive care doctor Mar Martin with an intensive care bed at the Candelaria hospitalThe complex operation to prevent the rare Andes strain of this virus spreading was described by Spain's health minister as "unprecedented".On Saturday, she stressed that the risk of contagion for the general population was low. "We believe that alarmism, misinformation and confusion are contrary to the basic principles of preserving public health."Spanish nationals leaving the ship are being flown to Madrid, where they face a mandatory quarantine in the Gomez Ulla military hospital. Complete isolation would be gruelling - the virus has an incubation period of up to nine weeks - and it is not clear how long people in Spain or elsewhere will be quarantined.British passengers on cruise ship to isolate on WirralThe head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is in Tenerife to oversee the disembarking, has praised the authorities for their "solid and effective response" to this outbreak.It has been linked to a landfill site in the south

BBC NewsMay 10

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general

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peopleaftersearch

4 dead after cruise boat with 40 people overturns in Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur

NewsWorldHow a rare bird search turned a Dutch birdwatcher into 'patient zero' of a deadly cruise outbreak Investigators believe the couple may have been exposed to the virus on March 27 during a visit to a landfill site outside Ushuaia. 3 min readMay 10, 2026 12:25 PM IST First published on: May 10, 2026 at 12:25 PM IST A Spanish Civil Guard officer inspects the area where passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship are expected to arrive at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. (Photo: AP/ Leo Schilperoord/ Facebook) A 70-year-old Dutch birdwatcher was identified as the first known case of the hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, MV Hondius, according to reports by the New York Post. Leo Schilperoord, an ornithologist from the Netherlands, is believed to have contracted the virus during a birdwatching trip to a landfill site near Ushuaia ahead of boarding the vessel.‘Patient zero’ identified Schilperoord and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord, had been travelling across South America for several months before joining the cruise ship in April this year. He developed symptoms including fever, headache and stomach pain days after boarding and later died on the ship. Workers set up temporary shelters in the area where passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship are expected to arrive at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. (Photo: AP) According to investigators, the couple may have been exposed to the virus on March 27 during a visit to a landfill site outside Ushuaia.Story continues below this ad The area is known to attract birdwatchers because of rare species, but authorities say it is also home to rodents that might carry the hantavirus. “It is common for birdwatchers to visit landfills because there are many birds there,” a local guide was quoted as saying. Health officials suspect the infection may have occurred through inhalation of particles from rodent droppings. Wife dies after evacuation Mirjam Schilperoord later disembarked the ship with her husband’s body at a stop and travelled to South Africa.Story continues below this ad She fell ill while attempting to return to the Netherlands and died shortly afterwards. Workers set up temporary shelters in the area where passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship are expected to arrive at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. (Photo: AP) The MV Hondius had more than 100 passengers on board, many of them scientists or birdwatchers. Authorities are continuing to trace contacts and investigate the spread of the virus, including concerns over the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can transmit between humans. What is hantavirus? Hantavirus is a disease mainly spread by rodents. People can get the infection by breathing in particles from rodent urine or droppings.Story continues below this ad Some strains can cause severe illness and, in rare cases, spread from human to human. (With inputs from agencies) The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, an

Indian ExpressMay 10

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Politics

3updates

deathcruiseboat

Bargi dam cruise boat tragedy: Death toll rises to nine; search operations continue

Security personnel and others present at the site as a rescue operation underway after a cruise boat with 29 passengers and two crew members onboard overturned in the Bargi Dam due to a sudden storm, in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh, on May 1, 2026 | Photo Credit: PTI The death toll in the Bargi Dam tragedy rose to nine on Friday (May 1, 2026), as rescuers recovered the bodies of five more persons who were on the cruise boat that overturned in the reservoir in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur.Talking to PTI Videos, Madhya...

The HinduMay 1

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Economy

cruiseboatjabalpur

Jabalpur Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy claims 7 lives, 15 rescued; survivor recounts horror: ‘Mirror broke after….’

A cruise boat tragedy at Bargi Dam claimed 7 lives. A total of 15 people have been rescued so far. Madhya Pradesh authorities are investigating the incident and Search and rescue operations are underway.Mint ImageIn the Jabalpur Bargi Dam tragedy, a cruise boat capsized after hitting a strong wave. According to Madhya Pradesh minister Dharmendra Lodhi, bodies of seven people have been recovered. A total of 15 people have been rescued so far.Speaking with PTI, Dharmendra Lodhi said, "It is a deeply heartbreaking and tragic incident, and one hopes that...

LiveMintMay 1

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