Boarding on the ship began on Monday (October 16), and people were boarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Many families, according to the outlet, were separated from one another, with many men choosing to stay behind as their wives and children went off to Cyprus.
It’s estimated that the average trip to Cyprus from Haifa port takes about 12 hours.
From there, evacuees can take commercial flights to their final destinations.
It is not clear, however, how the international airlines are planning to accomodate this influx of Americans trying to get home — and what accomodations may be provided for those who are left behind in Cyprus.
For those that are still trapped in Israel, however, there may be some hope.
“The US State Department said that in addition to the ship, chartered flights from Israel will be available for American citizens,” reported the outlet.
It’s unclear who is footing the bill for this added expense.
