The large-scale evacuation of passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, is progressing towards its final phase, although new confirmed cases among those repatriated have added a further layer of concern to the operation.
Spanish authorities have confirmed that the vessel is expected to depart later this Monday afternoon, once all scheduled repatriations have been completed. The ship will then set course for the Netherlands, where it is due to arrive in Rotterdam for a full decontamination and cleaning process.
Final disembarkations and international transfers
On Sunday, one of the last groups to leave the ship included 17 United States nationals and a British resident of the US. They were transferred directly to Tenerife South Airport under strict health protocols and are expected to complete their return journey before the end of the day.
According to the Minister of Health, Mónica García, a total of 94 passengers representing 19 nationalities have now disembarked. The evacuation has been carried out via multiple international flights, with passengers distributed across several routes coordinated between different countries. Seven flights transported nationals from eight countries, while a separate flight to the Netherlands included passengers of up to 11 different nationalities.
Despite the complexity of the operation, authorities have stressed that the entire process has been conducted under strict safety measures and without major incidents.
New positive cases confirmed
However, health authorities in the United States have reported that one of the repatriated passengers has tested “mildly positive” for the Andes strain of hantavirus following PCR testing. A second individual from the same group is also showing mild symptoms consistent with the infection.
Both passengers are among the group of US nationals evacuated from the ship and are currently being transported back to the United States aboard a State Department flight. As a precaution, they are travelling in specialised bio-containment units to minimise any potential risk of transmission.
At the same time, French authorities have confirmed another positive case. A woman who was part of the group of five French nationals evacuated to Paris began showing symptoms during the flight and has since tested positive for hantavirus. The French Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, has indicated that 22 close contacts have been identified and will be placed under isolation measures.
Ongoing operations and ship departure
As the evacuation continues, further flights are scheduled for Monday afternoon, including one bound for Australia carrying six passengers and another to the Netherlands with 18 people on board. Following these transfers, a reduced number of individuals—primarily crew and remaining passengers—will still be on the vessel.
Logistical operations aboard the ship are also underway. Refuelling is set to begin early in the morning, followed by provisioning, allowing the vessel to prepare for departure later in the day.
According to the Secretary General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, Virginia Barcones, the final disembarkations are expected to take place between 17:00 and 18:30, with the ship scheduled to set sail at approximately 19:00.
A controlled but evolving situation
While the evacuation has largely proceeded according to plan, the confirmation of new cases among repatriated passengers highlights the ongoing challenges associated with managing the outbreak. Authorities continue to emphasise the importance of monitoring, isolation and international coordination to contain any potential spread.
The coming hours will mark the conclusion of one of the most complex health and logistical operations carried out in recent years, combining strict safety protocols with large-scale international cooperation.
