❌

Reading view

Travel influencer, 24, killed after pickup truck is swept away in terrifying river crossing

A 24-year-old travel influencer was killed after a pickup truck carrying a group of travelers was swept away while crossing a river in Nicaragua.

French traveler Emma Marie Laurent was one of three women who died after the vehicle was caught in strong currents following heavy rainfall, according to news agency Jam Press.

The group was traveling through El Manzano, a community in the northwestern department of Chinandega, when they attempted to cross the Nahualapa River at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, the same source reported.

AMERICAN TOURIST FALLS 1,000 FEET TO HER DEATH WHILE CHASING PERFECT MOUNTAIN PHOTO

Recent rainfall had caused the river to rise, creating dangerous conditions before the vehicle attempted to cross.

The driver, identified as Mexican national Martin Gerardo García Girón, reportedly stepped out of the pickup to assess the water level before attempting the crossing, according to Jam Press.

The water reportedly came close to the driver's knees, but the current swept the pickup away and caused it to overturn.

The driver survived, though accounts have differed on whether other passengers also made it to safety, according to Jam Press. 

Authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding the crossing.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Nicaraguan co-President Rosario Murillo offered condolences to the victims' families following the deaths.

"This is a tragedy," Murillo said, according to reports. 

"We express our solidarity and our call to remain vigilant and, in the face of such tragedies, to express our full solidarity."

Murillo also warned about the dangers of crossing rivers during Nicaragua's rainy season.

"Rivers are deceptive; one thinks they are calm and, suddenly, the current comes, and we have tragedies like this that bring mourning to families," she said, according to Jam Press.

Laurent had developed an online following by sharing her travels around the world, including glimpses of life on the road from her van.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

She described herself as "your barefoot BFF" on Instagram, where she had nearly 43,000 followers at the time of her death, Jam Press reported.

Laurent appeared to have shared her final social media post on Oct. 2, uploading a video from a recent trip to Portugal.

In the post, she reflected on the importance of appreciating everyday moments.

"I think the most beautiful people, inside and out, are those who know how to admire the world around them," Laurent wrote in French.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Following news of her death, social media users left messages of remembrance beneath the post.

"Gone far too soon," one person commented.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

"Condolences to the family," another user wrote.

  •  

Deadly disease sparks new CDC rule for US-bound flyers as major airlines seek delay

Major U.S. and international airline groups are pushing back against a new Ebola-related travel requirement that will affect millions of people flying into the United States.

Beginning Nov. 3, all passengers on international flights to the U.S. will have to confirm that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the previous 21 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The requirement applies to everyone flying into or connecting through the U.S. — including American citizens, green card holders and airline crew members, the CDC said.

US ISSUES URGENT TRAVEL WARNING AS DEADLY EBOLA OUTBREAK SPREADS OVERSEAS

Travelers will have to complete a paper or digital statement before boarding, even if they have never visited the DRC. 

Airlines must collect the forms and keep them for at least 42 days after the flight arrives in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Airlines for America (A4A), which represents major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, United and JetBlue, is asking the CDC to reconsider the requirement and give airlines more time to prepare, according to an Oct. 26 letter provided to Fox News Digital.

The group said it supports the CDC's public health goals but argued that the new requirement is too broad and is being introduced too quickly.

A4A asked the government for a "more proportionate and measured U.S. response" focused more closely on affected areas and travelers who have recently been there.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The group also asked for the Nov. 3 start date to be delayed.

"Changes to check-in systems, digital signatures, station procedures and training cannot readily be completed in the allotted time," A4A wrote.

Dr. Tyler Evans, a California-based infectious disease physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, told Fox News Digital, "This was a step in the right direction, given the fact that we really do have to take this seriously. We have to ensure that this does not cross borders."

He added, "This is the second-largest outbreak of Ebola in history. So this is very serious."

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents more than 370 airlines around the world, has also asked the CDC to reconsider the requirement, Reuters reported.

"It is unreasonable for the U.S. government to require all airlines serving the U.S. market to modify their procedures to accommodate the collection of attestations from each individual (passenger and crew) flying to the United States in less than two weeks," IATA wrote in a letter, according to Reuters.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

A4A is also asking the CDC to exempt airline crew members, arguing that existing aviation documents already contain information about crews and their travel.

The group has requested an exemption for U.S. military passenger charters as well, saying the military already tracks service members' health, safety and whereabouts.

The CDC said the requirement is intended to reduce the risk of Ebola entering the United States through air travel. 

The 21-day period reflects the maximum amount of time it can take for symptoms to appear after exposure.

Anyone who has been in the DRC during that period, including travelers who only passed through an airport there, will not be allowed to board a U.S.-bound flight unless they have a government exemption, the CDC said.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"Some of the initial symptoms would just be flu-like symptoms. You'll have a high-grade fever, you'll feel sort of fatigued," the doctor said.

"[For] people that ... are asymptomatic, being able to screen is a very effective modality to reduce, to prevent or mitigate further transmission," Evans said.

Evans worked on the Ebola response twice in the past, both in West Africa and in the DRC, the two largest outbreaks in history.

"The reality is Ebola is one of the most infectious and has one of the highest case fatality rates of infectious diseases," Evans said.

But Americans often don't view Ebola as being relevant to them, he said. "When it comes to infectious diseases ... microbes don't sort of respect boundaries."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Travelers who knowingly provide false information could face prosecution and fines, according to the CDC.

Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC and IATA for further information and comment.

  •  
❌