Measles-stricken cruise ship quarantined, reportedly owned by Scientologists

Enlarge / A cruise ship in Castries Port, Saint Lucia on February 6, 2019. (credit: Getty | Daniel Slim)

Officials of the Caribbean nation St. Lucia have quarantined a cruise ship reportedly owned by the Church of Scientology after doctors confirmed a case of measles onboard.

A female crew member has a confirmed case of measles, and the ship has been quarantined since Monday, according to NBC News. There are reportedly more than 300 passengers on board.

Though health officials in St. Lucia did not identify the ship or its owner, St. Lucia Coast Guard Sgt. Victor Theodore told NBC News that the vessel’s name is Freewinds, which is the name of a cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology and based in the Caribbean. According to the Church’s website, the 440-foot vessel hosts religious retreats “ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion.”