The U.S. government has allocated $750,000 to charter a private yacht for the evacuation of an American citizen from Pitcairn Island, following her exposure to hantavirus aboard the Dutch MV Hondius cruise liner in April. The woman had traveled to Pitcairn after disembarking from the cruise ship and flying to San Francisco. The evacuation is part of a broader strain on the State Department’s emergency budget, which has been impacted by multiple evacuations due to various crises, including the Iran conflict and the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
The State Department is considering transferring up to $50 million into its emergency fund from other accounts to address the financial strain. Additionally, the department may request Congress for further funding. The woman, who is not symptomatic, is being transported from Pitcairn to Easter Island, a territory of Chile, where she can access flights back to the U.S. The evacuation process has been complicated by the woman's exposure status and the limited maritime options available from Pitcairn, which has no airport and only about 50 residents.
The Titaina Explorer, a yacht owned by a private individual, is facilitating the evacuation. The journey from Pitcairn to Easter Island is expected to take up to 10 days, depending on conditions.