Inside Scientology's Measles-Infested Million-Dollar Cruise for True Believers - 2019-05-03

Inside Scientology's Measles-Infested Million-Dollar Cruise for True Believers May 3, 2019, Tarpley Hitt, Daily Beast

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On Wednesday evening, news broke that a 300-person cruise ship had been quarantined at a port in St. Lucia. "The ministry of health is currently investigating a situation involving a cruise ship," Merlene Fredericks-James, the island nation's chief medical officer, said in a statement posted to YouTube. "We got information this morning from two sources that there was a confirmed case of measles on board a cruise ship that had visited our island."

The 440-foot vessel bore the name Freewinds, identifying it as the floating headquarters of the Flag Ship Service Organization—a "religious retreat" that promises a "a safe, aesthetic, distraction-free environment"—owned and operated by the Church of Scientology.

"So yes, the story is true, the Freewinds is in St. Lucia and we've been quarantined because a passenger did get diagnosed with the measles," Scientologist Bernard Bonner wrote in a statement on Facebook, first reported by watchdog website The Underground Bunker. The church did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Wikipedia cite:

{{cite news | first = Tarpley | last = Hitt | title = Inside Scientology's Measles-Infested Million-Dollar Cruise for True Believers | url = https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-scientologys-measles-infested-million-dollar-cruise-for-true-believers | work = Daily Beast | date = May 3, 2019 | accessdate = May 6, 2019 }}