US Students Stranded in Liberia 'Safe,' Want to Come Home

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, six students from Alabama's Tuskegee University, stranded in the center of the Ebola danger zone in Africa, said they are "safe" and "healthy" but eager to get home.

The students participated in a study abroad program but got stuck in Monrovia, Liberia, after their flights back to the US were suspended by British Airways because of the Ebola outbreak.

Related: Liberia health workers face angry residents over Ebola deaths. Related: Liberia's medical conditions dire even before Ebola outbreak. Related: Survivor tells how she lived through Ebola.

The students told ABC News today that they had spoken with their parents and had urged them to remain calm.

The group is staying at the residence of a university president in Monrovia.

"We have not had any contact with anyone that has contracted Ebola," student Aristotle Jones said. "We are in a safe environment, where everyone is completely safe and clean."

The university said there had been "no signs of illness reported among the students."

The six students were in Liberia, building wells and teaching math and science to teenagers. They called it an "amazing trip" and said it was "unfortunate it was overshadowed" by the health crisis.

Nearly 1,000 people have died from the virus in four West African nations, including Nigeria, since Monday, according to the World Health Organization.

Liberia, where the death toll has risen to 282 people, is a ground zero for the catastrophic outbreak.

"We are also taking preventive measures, such as carrying around hand sanitizer and washing our hands frequently," student Jazlyn Fuller said.