Spain Initiates Immediate Evacuation of Hantavirus Cruise Ship Near Tenerife Following Health Clearance
Spain has commenced the evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship linked to hantavirus off the coast of Tenerife, following health assessments that indicate low levels of public risk.
Spain has initiated the evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship moored off the coast of Tenerife following a hantavirus outbreak that has led to coordinated international efforts.
On Sunday, health officials boarded the vessel to conduct final inspections prior to initiating the disembarkation process, according to Spain’s Health Ministry.
Spanish nationals are the first to disembark from the ship, transferring in groups of five onto small boats before being taken ashore. Afterward, a bus transports them to the airport, where they board a Spanish military aircraft for their onward journey to Madrid. Officials emphasize that passengers will not interact with the general public throughout the operation.
The evacuation comes in response to a request from the World Health Organization and the European Union, following the detection of an outbreak while the vessel was en route from the coast of Cape Verde.
All passengers on the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius have been designated as high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure, although European public health authorities indicate that the risk to the broader population remains low.
Prior to docking, the Health Ministry of Spain verified that the vessel had successfully completed health inspections. Officials confirmed the absence of rodents and deemed the onboard hygiene conditions satisfactory, significantly reducing the transmission risk.
Multiple nations, such as Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, have dispatched aircraft to bring their citizens home, although not all flights had reached their destinations by Sunday morning.
Passengers will only disembark when their assigned evacuation flights are prepared. Dutch nationals are set to depart next, with their aircraft also transporting passengers from Germany, Belgium, and Greece.
Future flights will transport travelers from Turkey, France, the UK, and the United States. The last aircraft, anticipated to come from Australia, will carry passengers from Australia, New Zealand, and various Asian nations.
Spanish Health Minister Mónica García has announced that 30 crew members will stay on the vessel to navigate it to the Netherlands, where it will be subjected to comprehensive disinfection procedures.
