Spain’s health minister said the final evacuation flight for passengers aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak, will depart the Canary Islands on Monday.
The Dutch-flagged vessel arrived off Tenerife on Sunday after weeks at sea following an outbreak that killed three passengers and triggered international concern.
Passengers and selected crew members began disembarking through a tightly controlled operation at the industrial port of Granadilla.
Although regional authorities had resisted allowing the ship into the Canary Islands, it was eventually permitted to anchor offshore under strict health measures.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said all passengers were currently asymptomatic and undergoing final medical checks before boarding evacuation flights.
“The last flight of the entire procedure is scheduled for tomorrow, which is the flight to Australia,” Garcia told reporters in Tenerife.
Spanish nationals were expected to leave first, followed by Dutch flights carrying citizens from several European countries and part of the crew.
Additional flights for passengers from Canada, Turkey, France, Britain, Ireland and the United States were also scheduled throughout Sunday.
Regional officials warned that worsening weather conditions could force the vessel to leave the area from Monday.
