Passengers from 19 countries evacuated as Spanish authorities race against worsening weather following deadly Andes virus outbreak aboard Dutch expedition cruise ship.
By TRH World Desk
New Delhi, May 11, 2026 — A meticulously coordinated international evacuation operation concluded its first day Sunday as 94 passengers of 19 nationalities were removed from the MV Hondius, the Dutch cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak, anchored off the port of Granadilla de Abona on Spain’s island of Tenerife.
Spanish Health Minister Mónica García told a press conference at the port that the operation went “according to plan,” with passengers ferried ashore in small boats from the ship, which had been anchored roughly 500 metres from the dock rather than permitted to berth directly.
Xinhua reported that Spanish nationals were the first to disembark, transported directly to Tenerife Sur Airport and flown to Madrid for quarantine observation in hospital facilities. “Flights for Canadian, Turkish, British, Irish and American nationals also departed, while a plane arrived in the Netherlands carrying Belgian, Greek, German, Guatemalan and Argentine citizens,” said The Manila Times in a report.
CNN reported that the 18 US evacuees — 17 Americans and one British national residing in the US — are being transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, home to the National Quarantine Unit, a federally funded facility, where they will be checked for early-stage symptoms including fever, muscle aches and diarrhoea.
The evacuation was not without incident. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that one of five French nationals repatriated on Sunday showed symptoms of hantavirus while aboard the flight home, and all five passengers were immediately placed in strict isolation.
The outbreak has claimed three lives — a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman. The WHO has confirmed six cases out of eight suspected, and the Andes virus, the only known hantavirus strain transmissible between humans, has been identified on board.
The Spanish health ministry said the final evacuation flight was expected to depart on Monday afternoon. Canary Islands authorities have warned the operation must be completed by Monday, when adverse weather will force the ship to leave.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stressed the virus is “not another Covid-19” and that the risk to the general public remains low.
FAQ:
What is the MV Hondius?
It is a Dutch polar expedition cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. It departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1 for an Atlantic crossing to Cape Verde.
What is the Andes virus?
It is the only known hantavirus that spreads between humans. Hantaviruses typically infect rodents, and the WHO believes the first infection on board occurred before the voyage began, followed by human-to-human transmission on the vessel.
Is there a treatment or vaccine?
No vaccines or specific treatments exist for hantavirus, which is endemic in Argentina.
Why was there controversy about the ship docking?
The Canary Islands’ regional leader Fernando Clavijo had opposed the ship docking, and port workers in Tenerife held protests over concerns about a lack of communication regarding potential risks. The central government ultimately authorised the ship to anchor offshore only.
What happens to those still on board?
Passengers bound for Australia and the Netherlands were set to spend another night on board, with their evacuation flights departing Monday.
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