A luxury cruise vessel affected by a fatal hantavirus outbreak reached the waters near Tenerife’s Port of Granadilla early Sunday morning, where Spanish authorities began coordinating an emergency passenger evacuation operation.
Health officials plan to transport all passengers to shore using smaller vessels before conducting mandatory health screenings. None of the travelers aboard the MV Hondius have shown symptoms of the deadly virus, Spanish authorities confirmed.
Following medical evaluations, passengers will board sealed transportation vehicles for the brief 10-minute journey to Tenerife’s primary airport, where international flights await to return them to their home countries.
European health officials have classified every passenger as a high-risk contact as a safety precaution, according to a rapid scientific assessment released Saturday evening by the continent’s public health agency.
The complex evacuation operation was scheduled to commence between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. local time, with Spanish citizens departing first, followed by other nationalities in organized groups. Thirty crew members will stay aboard to sail the vessel to the Netherlands for complete sanitization.
The ship departed from Cape Verde’s coastline Wednesday after the World Health Organization and European Union requested Spain manage the emergency passenger removal following the virus detection.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus touched down in the Canary Islands Saturday evening, joining Spain’s interior, health, and territorial policy ministers to oversee the vessel’s arrival coordination.
Health authorities reported Friday that eight individuals became ill during the voyage, with three fatalities including a Dutch couple and a German passenger. Six cases have received laboratory confirmation, while two additional suspected infections remain under investigation.
While rodents typically transmit hantavirus, rare instances of human-to-human spread can occur. Global health officials assess the risk to the general population as minimal, though passengers and crew face moderate exposure levels.
