NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, May 8, 2026New plan to evacuate Americans from Hantavirus cruise; U.S. and Iran exchange fire as Trump says ceasefire still holds; Pentagon releases declassified UFO files; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Episode Date: May 9, 2026

New plan to evacuate Americans from Hantavirus cruise; U.S. and Iran exchange fire as Trump says ceasefire still holds; Pentagon releases declassified UFO files; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, new details in the operation to get Americans off that Hontovirus cruise ship, where they'll be brought to in America and the new state now monitoring residents for the disease. New plans in place to get 17 Americans off that ship, the State Department plane being sent in, and the facility in the U.S. they'll travel to that once-quarantine Ebola cases. New Jersey now monitoring people for symptoms. Our reporter where the passengers will arrive first, Also tonight, the UFO files released hundreds of previously secret documents detailing mysterious objects flying in the sky. The unexplained images and files going back 80 years, will this bring us closer to learning if there's really life beyond Earth?

The new video of U.S. fighter jets striking Iranian oil tankers, but President Trump's saying the ceasefire is still intact, will Iran agree to a deal to end the war? Deadly volcanic eruption, at least three killed, hikers set running for their lives, ash shooting miles high into the air. What this guide saw as he raced to safety. Fatal bear attacked the possible mauling at another popular national park, days after this one at Yellowstone, should tourists now be concerned? New clues in the Kristen Smart case, what investigators just announced three decades after that college student vanished. A truck colliding with a school. school bus just as a teen was about to get on, moments later, the hug every parent can understand. Humans behaving badly, a tourist in Hawaii, hurling a rock at an endangered seal the charges he could

face. And our series, Great Americans, my sit down with iconic country music star Brad Paisley, how this great nation shaped his iconic songs and how he and his wife are giving back. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. Hey, good evening. We begin tonight with the race to contain that deadly haunt of virus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic. And new details just coming into our newsroom about what will happen to the 17 Americans still on board. The CDC is now preparing to meet those passengers here on the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa,

where they'll get off that ship, they'll go straight to a U.S. government plane that will then fly them all the way. to Nebraska where those passengers will isolate in the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska. The same facility you remember that help people exposed to COVID and Ebola when those outbreaks began. And now a sixth American state, New Jersey, is monitoring people who may have been exposed to an infected cruise ship passenger. Danielle Hamamjan is where the ship is heading to in the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa and leads us off tonight. New details on the exit plan to get the 17 Americans trapped on this luxury cruise ship back home. When the M.V. Hondias anchors off the coast of Tenerife this weekend,

they'll be met by a team dispatched by the CDC before flying home on a repatriation flight arranged by the U.S. State Department. They'll isolate in the National Quarantine Unit at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, the same facility that housed people exposed to COVID in 2020 and Ebola in 20. On arrival, we receive an epidemiologic assessment, and at that point, the quarantine period will be determined. But at this point, we don't have a defined quarantine period. New Jersey now monitoring two people who never boarded the ship, but were potentially exposed to an infected passenger during air travel. On the Canary Islands, there are fears even one pace of the virus could keep the desperately needed tourists away.

The ship is now hours away, and people here are angry. They're shouting things like yes to tourism, no to the virus. Meanwhile, authorities now paying close attention to that April 24th KLM flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam, where one of the cruise passengers with the virus was removed before takeoff and later died. The flight attendant from that flight who was hospitalized yesterday, now testing negative, along with two other passengers who developed symptoms. The virus is not that contagious that it easily jumps from person to person. But now a woman in Alicante, Spain, who also wasn't on the ship, but was on that KLM flight,

is showing symptoms consistent with the hauntavirus infection. Her test results expected this weekend. Danielle is there live in the Canary Islands for us tonight. And Danielle, you have more details on how once that cruise ship is there, the people on board will be moved to land. Yeah, that's right, Tom. Spanish authorities saying small boats will ferry five passengers at a time, bring them back to the port where they'll be isolated from the rest of the public, taken straight to the airport where they'll board their repatriation flights. Local officials say they hope to evacuate everybody within 24 to 48 hours.

Tom. Danielle, Hamamjan, with that new reporting for us, Danielle, we thank you back here at home to the Pentagon releasing UFO files, the Trump administration releasing never-before-seen images of unexplained objects in the sky collected by the U.S. government dating all the way back to the 1940s. Here's Tom Costello with those images. Tonight, more mysterious images just revealed. 160 government files detailing 400 alleged UFO encounters, including this infrared military video from 2013 of what appears to be an eight-pointed star streaking across the sky. Mysterious white and black aerial blips that defy such.

the laws of physics, more grainy still images of the unexplained, and this image taken from the moon by the Apollo 17 astronauts of what appears to be lights hovering overhead. The astronauts later suggested it could have been ice crystals. Today, President Trump posted, with these new documents and videos, the people can decide for themselves. But there are no reports of aliens or spacecraft in government custody. Many leading astrophysicists remain. skeptical. Just because you see something and you don't know what it is, you can't then say it must be aliens visiting from outer space. The documents date back to the 1940s, including an FBI report from an Air Force colonel reporting a flying disc. More recent reports from

fighter pilots, this diagram from people who claimed they witnessed a cigar-shaped object, and a 2023 video of three concentric circles flying in unison. I have not seen anything to suggest that we've been visited by any intelligent life forms out there. But the universe is massive, at least two trillion galaxies and trillions more planets. Given the vastness of the universe, it's really hard to imagine that life and even intelligent life hasn't formed somewhere. It's hard to imagine that anybody is visiting us or continually visiting us. And Tom, tonight there is a pattern, though a lot of these images coming from military pilots that are near or around military, facilities or ships? Yeah, and that raises concern that some of these unexplained aerial

phenomenon could include technology that America's adversaries here on Earth possess, but we don't, Tom. Okay, Tom Costello, we thank you for that. To the Mideeathe now in that new video of the U.S. attacking Iranian oil tankers trying to break through its blockade, all as the U.S. is awaiting the Iranian regime's response to its plan to end the war. Here's Courtney Cuby. Tonight, the new showdown in the strait. U.S. FAA 18 fighter jets firing on two Iranian oil tankers, small guided bombs seen here striking their smokestacks, using delayed fuses to disable their propulsion without destroying the ships. Sencom saying the ships violated the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, which has been squeezing Iran's economy to try and get the Iranian regime to make a deal. While Iran is again firing on civilian targets in the United Arab Emirates, U.A.A. officials say,

its air defenses intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. You know, they don't have a Navy anymore, but they bring out these little Boston whaler fishing boats. All is we're learning more about Iran's attack on U.S. ships Thursday. Iran launching missiles, drones, and fastboats at these three U.S. Navy destroyers. The U.S. repelled the attacks, but also responded with strikes on Iranian military targets, the first strikes on Iranian territory during the ceasefire. Of course we fired back at them. They were shooting at us.

That's what I would expect to do. only stupid countries don't shoot back when you're shot at. And President Trump saying the ceasefire is still in effect. They trifled with us today. We blew him away. In a phone interview with NBC News today, President Trump saying the war is not over, again insisting, quote, we're pretty close to a deal with Iran who's not yet responded to the U.S. offer to end the war. It's an offer that basically said they will not have nuclear weapons.

They're going to hand us to nuclear dust and many other things that we want. All right, Courtney joins us live now. Courtney, I know you have new reporting on the tensions between the U.S. and some of our Gulf allies. Yeah, Tom, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both closed airspace and bases to U.S. military flights supporting President Trump's Project Freedom, protecting oil tankers from Iranian attacks, according to two U.S. officials. And now we're told they believed Project Freedom would actually lead to Iranian attacks on them. Tom. Okay, Courtney, we thank you. And for much more, make sure to watch our good friend, Kristen Welker, this Sunday on Meet the Press. We have another bear attack at a popular national park to tell you about, and this one is deadly. It happened just days after another attack in Yellowstone. Here's Morgan Chesky. Tonight, multiple trails closed in Montana's Glacier National Park. Signs warning of bear danger.

After what authority suspect was a fatal bear attack. Park officials sharing they found a hiker's body Wednesday and a densely wooded area about 50 feet off the popular Mount Brown Trail. The park is home to roughly a thousand bears, with an estimated 300 of those being grizzlies. Just days ago in Yellowstone National Park, a bear attack left two hikers badly mulled. Definitely. Bear, it's claws.

Park officials say the attack happened on a trail not far from the iconic old faithful geyser. And last month, this video capturing a black bear in Southern California, charging a hiker no one was hurt. Wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin says This time of year can pose additional risk When crossing paths with a bear They're very afraid of other bears

And you don't want to fall prey To being a victim of misidentification Now tonight it's still unknown What kind of bear may have attacked at Glacier But wildlife officials say that they are scouring that area For any animal activity. Tom All right Morgan, thank you. We have stunning images

out of Indonesia showing the massive volcano eruption that authorities believe left multiple hikers dead. Kier Simmons now with this stunning video. Oh, the rock are coming. Tonight terrifying scenes on a volcanic mountain in Indonesia. Oh, my God, they die. Oh, they die. Here, the moment Mount DeKono on Halmahera Island erupted, shot by a guide whose frightened voice is heard over the video. Tourists scrambling down.

Three hikers presumed dead, according to local police. It's killed them. Many people up there. About 20 tourists were in the group, defying a ban on climbing the volcanic mountain, say local authorities, as it was on high alert for an eruption. We are lucky.

We already climbed down. The climbers were all from Singapore and Indonesia, say officials. There are still many local tourists. Oh my God. Oh, I hope they're alive. Despite warnings, not to climb into the restricted zone,

many people still do, according to the local police chief. When it's very quiet, it means the big eruption is coming. The eruption was seen for miles around, spewing a thick ash column six miles into the air. 17 people were safely evacuated, say officials, five were injured. For those who survived... When we are there, I already heard the deep eruption. And I make decision to have... We have to climb down.

A lucky escape. Kier Simmons, NBC News. We were returned in 60 seconds the search spanning three decades for Kristen Smart. Police announcing a potential discovery all these years later, we're going to explain it. We're back now with new developments in the case of Kristen Smart. She's the college student who disappeared 30 years ago. Police announcing a new discovery today. Steve Patterson has the details.

Tonight, a potential discovery in the three-decade-long search for any sign of Kristen Smart. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson says they may be close. His deputies serving a search warrant at the home of Susan Flores. Her son Paul was convicted of Killing Smart in 2022. Today, the sheriff's sparking hope, saying ground scanning results for signs of human decomposition at the home have been positive, meaning there could be evidence of a body. We believe that based on what we're looking at, evidence-wise, scientific evidence, that a human remains were there at one time, we're still there.

The college students, 1996 disappearance, captivated the country. She was never found and pronounced dead in 2002. For years, investigators focused on Flores, the last known person who was with Smart before she vanished. Flores was arrested in 2021 at his father's home. At the time, investigators found what prosecutors described as disturbed soil, roughly the size of a casket, along with the presence of human blood. Paul's father Rubin Flores, also arrested as an accessory to murder, was acquitted. Tonight, the family of Kristen Smart, optimistic, telling NBC News, we remain hopeful that this current search will be successful and look forward to the outcome.

The heart-wrenching 30-year story of a family's deserved closure may be closer than ever to ending, but still stalled on that final page. Steve Patterson, NBC News. And we're back in a moment with a truck smashing into a school bus just as a teen is about to get on and wait till you see what his father did. Plus anger in Hawaii after this man throws a rock towards a protected seal. What's going to happen to him? That's next. We're back now with a massive explosion at a refinery in Louisiana. You can see the huge plumes of smoke right there rising into the air outside of New Orleans.

Thankfully, the refinery said everyone working there in that area is safe tonight. Also, a disturbing incident caught on camera, sparking outrage in Hawaii. Here's why a man is seen there throwing a large rock at a monk seal, swimming near the shores in Lahaina. That seal, known as Lonnie by locals, has been there for decades. The mayor is vowing to prosecute him. Monk seals are protected under federal and Hawaii state law. And look at this crash from upstate New York.

You can see a teen walking out of his house to catch the bus, but then a pickup truck slams right into it moments later. That teen's dad walks out, you're going to see it here, realizes what happens, and hugs his son after that close call. Several people had minor injuries in that crash from both the truck and on the bus. All right, when we come back here on nightly news, our series of The Great Americans, country music legend Brad Paisley on falling in love with music and the secret mission that fills him with pride for his country. Finally tonight, as we get ready to celebrate 250 years of this great country, Our weekly series about Great Americans, where we talk with those who have achieved so much

and helped so many about their life and how this country contributed to their success. Tonight I speak with a music icon who's bringing Americans together through his craft and working to help his community. Our great American this week, country singer, Brad Paisley. What do you love about America? What I love, what do I love about America? I love everything this country has to offer. For more than two decades, those lyrics

And that voice Have been resonating with Americans Brad Paisley, the country music icon From West Virginia Says it all began when his grandfather gave him his first guitar He's like, this is not a musical instrument It's a what?

This is your best friend. Like if there's something that you want to get off your mind, pick that guitar up. If you learn how to play it, you can sit there a few hours in, you will be thinking about nothing except that. You're still around to write this letter to me. Paisley says those small town roots still inspire his music. That was idyllic. And it was such a sheltered place to grow up. And how much of that is still in your music? That's still in there. And in fact, there's been a lot of it bubbling up. lately. I find myself sort of leaning on that mentality. The three-time Grammy Award winner has written 21 of his 25 number one country hits,

including I'm Gonna Miss Her, known as the Fish and Song. Well, I love her, but I love the fish. The song brought him more than fame, requesting the lead actress from father of the bride, Kimberly Williams, be cast in the video. The two fell in love and got married. Do you remember a moment where you felt most American? One was, I flew to Afghanistan with President Obama in the middle of the night and played for the troops on Bogram Air Force Base.

It was a secret mission. I mean, that's pretty hard to top. The music played me on each other close. and we danced. I'm sure you looked out and saw a lot of young faces. Oh, my God. Well, I went around after I was done and shook every hand I could,

hugging the people over the, like, barricades. Back at home. We need all the help we can get. Hazley and his wife are also giving back to their community, opening the store, which now has two locations a food pantry that feels just like a supermarket.

You can pick out all your items. You check out, the person at the checkout stand gives you a little thing, and you're on your way, and the kids have no idea that their parents are at what is a charity. What do you think is inherently American about your guy's desire to open the store? Empowering people to be the best they can is very American. And that's what I hope that we can do with the store is bridge the gap for someone

that's going to a hard time and help them get back on their feet. Through his music, Paisley hopes Americans can feel more unified and can connect. What have you learned from playing small venues, big venues, all across the country? I've learned that, first of all, music is this sort of evaporator of conflict. There's nothing more unifying than everybody enjoying the same music. I feel like there's a hunger to get along. A lifelong dedication to his passion and his country. When it comes to the small town mentality and the way that they

want to honor. They want to love this country. They live here. I mean, look at the place we are. It's so beautiful. We have it all in this country. And our thanks to Brad, who has new music and a new tour on the way. That's nightly news for this Friday. Join us next week when I'll be reporting live from China during President Trump's historic visit. I'm Tom Yamis. Thanks so much for watching tonight. And always, we're here for you. Good night.