O-Score proof

Stranded for three years: a Sri Lankan woman can’t leave the Cook Islands because no one will let her change planes

10O-Score10 · Fully overlooked0 of 13 major U.S. outlets as of Nov 2 · See proof →

The math

Outlets checked: 13 major U.S. national outlets.
Confirmed reports of this story: 0.
0 found → O-Score 10 (Fully overlooked). Higher means more overlooked.

Score	Meaning	Major U.S. outlets that covered it
10	Fully overlooked ← this story	0 of 13 outlets
8	Barely covered	1 outlet
6, 5	Lightly covered	2 outlets (6) · 3 outlets (5)
4, 3	Covered	4 outlets (4) · 5 outlets (3)
2, 1, 0	Widely covered	6–7 outlets (2) · 8–10 outlets (1) · 11–13 outlets (0)

Provisional: AP, Reuters and CBS News block direct site search, and the other 10 outlets’ site search only loads in a live browser, so all 13 were checked through Google News and Bing News instead. Those checks were complete for every outlet.

Checked Nov 2, 2026, 10:24 AM ET · coverage window: 2026-10-25 to 2026-11-03 (9 days, built around this story’s publish date of 2026-11-01). Scored after publication.

Every outlet

Outlet	Result	Searches run
AP apnews.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:apnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:apnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:apnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:apnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:apnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:apnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: HTTP 403 (could not use)
Reuters reuters.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:reuters.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:reuters.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:reuters.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:reuters.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:reuters.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:reuters.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: HTTP 401 (could not use)
The New York Times nytimes.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:nytimes.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:nytimes.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:nytimes.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:nytimes.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:nytimes.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:nytimes.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) 4 search hit(s) read and rejected as not about this story Viv Richards, the summer of ’76, and how the West Indies inspired a generation of Black Britons - The Athletic - The New York Times The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to HBO Max, Hulu, Apple TV and More in November - The New York Times Israel’s Future The Surprise Tossups Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
The Washington Post washingtonpost.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:washingtonpost.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:washingtonpost.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:washingtonpost.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:washingtonpost.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:washingtonpost.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:washingtonpost.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) 1 search hit(s) read and rejected as not about this story Sri Lanka provides medical help and repatriates 40 Iranian sailors stranded in the Indian Ocean - The Washington Post Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
The Wall Street Journal wsj.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:wsj.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:wsj.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:wsj.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:wsj.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:wsj.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:wsj.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
CNN cnn.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:cnn.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:cnn.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:cnn.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:cnn.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:cnn.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:cnn.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) 1 search hit(s) read and rejected as not about this story Sitemap - October 2026 - CNN Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
Fox News foxnews.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:foxnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:foxnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:foxnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:foxnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:foxnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:foxnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) 1 search hit(s) read and rejected as not about this story Two men die after suspected electrocution at hotel pool as rescue effort injures others - Fox News Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
NBC News nbcnews.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:nbcnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:nbcnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:nbcnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:nbcnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:nbcnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:nbcnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
CBS News cbsnews.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:cbsnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:cbsnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:cbsnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:cbsnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:cbsnews.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:cbsnews.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) 1 search hit(s) read and rejected as not about this story U.S. cruise ship suspends 3-year around-the-world voyage in Cambodia due to fuel costs Own site search: HTTP 406 (could not use)
ABC News abcnews.go.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:abcnews.go.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:abcnews.go.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:abcnews.go.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:abcnews.go.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:abcnews.go.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:abcnews.go.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
NPR npr.org	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:npr.org after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:npr.org" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:npr.org after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:npr.org" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:npr.org after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:npr.org" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
USA Today usatoday.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:usatoday.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:usatoday.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:usatoday.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:usatoday.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:usatoday.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:usatoday.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)
Bloomberg bloomberg.com	Not found	google-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:bloomberg.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded site:bloomberg.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:bloomberg.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Cook Islands stranded three years site:bloomberg.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) google-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:bloomberg.com after:2026-10-25 before:2026-11-03" bing-news: "Rarotonga stranded woman visa site:bloomberg.com" (dates filtered 2026-10-25–2026-11-03) Own site search: search page renders by JavaScript, no static results (could not use)

Search terms

“Cook Islands Sri Lankan woman stranded”, “Cook Islands stranded three years”, “Rarotonga stranded woman visa”

Method

Back-scored after publication: coverage window 2026-10-25 to 2026-11-03, built around the story’s publish date (2026-11-01), 7 days before to 21 days after (or to the check date)
google-news site: search with after:/before: dates (3 term variants)
bing-news site: search, results filtered to the window (3 term variants)
Google News wire search (terms + “Reuters” / “Associated Press”) to catch wire copies; only articles on each outlet’s own site count
editor read of every candidate headline; each counted match was opened, or the block recorded

A match counts only if the outlet’s own article is about this story, not a passing mention. “Not found” means not found by these methods; search engines index only part of each site. Scores are rechecked at 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days and 30 days.