Spain has begun evacuating passengers from a cruise ship anchored off the coast of Tenerife after a hantavirus outbreak prompted coordinated international action.
Health officials boarded the vessel on Sunday to carry out final inspections before starting the disembarkation process, Spain’s Health Ministry says.
Spanish nationals are the first to leave the ship, transferring in groups of five onto small boats before being taken ashore. They are then moved by bus to the airport for onward travel to Madrid on a Spanish military aircraft. Authorities stress passengers will have no contact with the general public during the operation.
The evacuation follows a request from the World Health Organisation and the European Union after the outbreak was detected while the vessel was sailing from the coast of Cape Verde.
All passengers aboard the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius have been classified as high-risk contacts as a precaution, although European public health authorities say the risk to the wider population remains low.
Before docking, Spain’s Health Ministry confirmed the vessel had passed health inspections. Officials said no rodents were detected and that hygiene conditions onboard were deemed appropriate, reducing the likelihood of transmission.
Several countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, have sent aircraft to repatriate their citizens, though not all flights had arrived by Sunday morning.
Passengers will disembark only when their designated evacuation flights are ready. Dutch nationals are scheduled to leave next, with their aircraft also carrying passengers from Germany, Belgium and Greece.
Subsequent flights will evacuate travellers from Turkey, France, the UK and the United States. The final aircraft, expected to arrive from Australia, will transport passengers from Australia, New Zealand and other Asian countries.
Spanish Health Minister Mónica García says 30 crew members will remain aboard the vessel to sail it to the Netherlands, where it will undergo full disinfection procedures.
Erizia Rubyjeana
