Passengers aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, began disembarking in Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday as authorities launched a tightly controlled international evacuation operation.
AFP journalists witnessed passengers wearing blue medical protective suits leaving the Dutch-flagged vessel on small boats before being transferred by bus to Tenerife South airport for repatriation flights.
Spain’s health ministry confirmed that the evacuation process had officially started, with passengers being grouped by nationality before boarding charter flights to their home countries.
Fourteen Spanish nationals were the first to leave the ship, followed by Dutch-organized flights carrying passengers from the Netherlands, Germany and Greece, along with some crew members. Additional flights for Canadian, Turkish, French, British, Irish and US citizens were also scheduled throughout the day.
The outbreak has already killed three passengers and triggered international concern after tests confirmed the Andes strain of hantavirus — the only known form capable of spreading between humans.
Despite fears surrounding the outbreak, health officials stressed that all remaining passengers are asymptomatic and that the risk to the wider public remains low.
The World Health Organization has confirmed six positive cases from eight suspected infections, with no active suspected cases currently remaining onboard.
Spanish authorities enforced strict security measures at Tenerife’s Granadilla port, sealing off parts of the area while medical teams supervised the evacuation. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also traveled to Spain to oversee the operation.
The final evacuation flight, bound for Australia, is expected to depart on Monday before the vessel continues toward the Netherlands.
