Spain Airlifts All Passengers of Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship

(MENAFN) Spanish authorities launched a large-scale evacuation operation on Sunday to remove all passengers and a portion of the crew from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius, as the vessel anchored off the Port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife.

Shortly after the ship arrived, personnel from Spain's External Health Service — known as Sanidad Exterior — boarded the vessel to conduct epidemiological investigations and health screenings. By mid-morning, the first wave of passengers had begun disembarking as the operation moved into full swing.

Addressing reporters at a press conference held at the scene, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia outlined the evacuation sequence: Spanish nationals would go first, followed by Dutch citizens, then passengers from Germany, Belgium, and Greece — along with part of the crew — under arrangements coordinated by the Netherlands. Remaining passengers would be flown out on successive flights throughout the day.

Evacuees departed the ship in groups via zodiac boats before being transferred by buses — operating under strict sanitary and security protocols — to Tenerife South Airport for onward travel arrangements. The cruise ship itself was not expected to dock at port at any point during the operation.

Garcia assured that "everything is going according to plan," adding that despite the logistical complexity of coordinating public health controls at scale, the operation had been "generally successful." She also noted that no one aboard the vessel had displayed symptoms prior to the start of the evacuation.

Spain's Military Emergencies Unit deployed specially equipped buses fitted with sanitary protection measures to facilitate passenger transfers, while the Civil Guard provided on-site security and coordination support. Health authorities, emergency services, and police forces from the Canary Islands also participated in the joint operation.

The final evacuation flight is scheduled for Monday and will carry Australian nationals back to their home country. The Netherlands also plans to operate a so-called "sweep flight" on Monday to collect any individuals not yet repatriated by their respective governments.

Senior officials gathered in Tenerife to oversee the operation, including Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory Angel Victor Torres, and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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