By Chidmma Okapa l May 10, 2026
The large-scale evacuation of passengers and crew aboard the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius has officially begun in Spain’s Canary Islands as international health authorities intensify efforts to contain the deadly outbreak.
The Dutch expedition cruise ship arrived off the coast of Tenerife early Sunday morning carrying more than 140 passengers and crew after weeks of growing concern surrounding the rare hantavirus outbreak linked to the vessel. Spanish authorities, working alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a carefully coordinated evacuation operation shortly after the ship anchored offshore.
According to Reuters, passengers were transported from the ship in small groups before being transferred onto military buses headed directly to Tenerife airport. Officials stressed that evacuees would have no direct contact with the local population as countries arrange government-chartered flights to repatriate their citizens.
Spanish nationals were among the first passengers evacuated Sunday morning. Medical teams wearing hazmat suits escorted passengers through health screening procedures before they boarded flights to mainland Spain for quarantine and monitoring.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has already been linked to at least three deaths and multiple confirmed hantavirus infections. WHO officials believe the outbreak may involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, one of the few variants known to allow limited human-to-human transmission through close contact.
Authorities said none of the passengers currently leaving the ship are showing symptoms of infection. However, WHO has recommended a 42-day quarantine and monitoring period because hantavirus symptoms can take several weeks to appear after exposure.
Countries including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand are coordinating evacuation flights for their citizens. U.S. officials confirmed that American passengers will be flown to Nebraska for medical evaluation before beginning home isolation monitoring.
Spanish Health Minister Mónica García described the evacuation as an “unprecedented” international health operation due to the number of countries involved and the strict containment measures required. Authorities also confirmed that passengers would not be allowed to keep luggage during evacuation until the ship undergoes extensive disinfection procedures.
The ship had earlier been stranded near Cape Verde after local authorities refused to allow passengers to disembark because of fears surrounding the outbreak. After negotiations involving Spain, the WHO, and European health agencies, the vessel was eventually cleared to travel to Tenerife under strict emergency conditions.
Despite fears among residents in the Canary Islands, WHO officials continue to insist that the risk to the wider public remains low. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reportedly traveled to Tenerife personally to reassure residents, stating that the situation is “not another COVID.