By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
Spanish authorities launched a high-stakes repatriation mission Sunday morning to evacuate passengers from the MS Hondius. The Dutch-owned cruise ship is currently anchored off the coast of Tenerife following a deadly outbreak of the rare Andes strain of hantavirus.
The vessel arrived at the industrial port of Granadilla before dawn, visible in the distance around 05:30 local time (04:30 GMT). It sat a mile offshore as military police boats patrolled a one nautical mile enforced security perimeter. Medical teams boarded the ship at approximately 07:00 local time (06:00 GMT) Sunday to conduct health screenings.
Three people have died since the ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, a month ago. Health officials confirmed that six passengers tested positive for the virus while two others remain suspected cases. Despite the fatalities, Spanish Health Minister Mónica García reported the operation is “proceeding normally” and all current passengers remain asymptomatic.
Strategic Disembarkation and Global Repatriation
The evacuation involves ferrying passengers to the coast in small boats. This method maintains a strict security distance between the vessel and the mainland. Spanish nationals were the first to disembark in groups of five. They were followed by a multinational group including Dutch, Greek, Belgian, and German citizens, as well as part of the crew.
Charter planes are waiting on the airport tarmac to fly passengers to their respective home countries. The United States and the United Kingdom have flights poised for departure. Minister García confirmed that passengers from Turkey and France are also included in the evacuation schedule. A final flight carrying six passengers from Australia, New Zealand, and Asia is scheduled for Monday.
The 17 American citizens on board will be transported to the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha, Nebraska. This facility specializes in highly hazardous communicable diseases. “We are prepared for situations exactly like this,” stated Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine.
Medical Readiness and Specialized Care
Local healthcare infrastructure in Tenerife is on high alert. The Candelaria hospital has dozens of intensive care specialists on standby. A specialized isolation facility is equipped with ventilators and testing kits specifically for infectious diseases. Large numbers of protective suits, masks, and gloves are already piled up for the staff in the unit.
Chief intensive care doctor Mar Martin expressed confidence in the medical response. “We’ve never seen [hantavirus] before – but it’s a virus, with some complications, just like we manage every day. We are fully trained for that,” Martin said.
The Andes strain is uniquely dangerous because it is the only hantavirus known to pass between humans through close contact. It carries a fatality rate of nearly 50 percent. The elderly are at significant risk. The average age of those on the Hondius is 65.
Addressing Public Anxiety and Political Friction
The arrival of the ship sparked local tension. Port workers gathered outside the local parliament in noisy protest over safety measures. Security measures increased notably Saturday as Spain’s military police and disaster response teams set up large reception tents.
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, initially attempted to block the ship. He suggested a rodent could “get off the ship in the middle of the night and endanger the people of the Canary Islands.” The central government in Madrid intervened to override the block. Health Minister García dismissed the claims of animal transmission as “not a risk.” She emphasized that “alarmism, misinformation and confusion are contrary to the basic principles of preserving public health.”
The African Connection: WHO Leadership and Regional Impact
The African continent has played a central role in the response and monitoring of this outbreak. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian national, traveled to Tenerife to personally oversee the operation. His presence underscores the global importance of the mission and the WHO’s commitment to preventing the spread of rare pathogens to other regions, including the African coast.
“Your concern is legitimate, because of the experience of Covid: that trauma is still in our minds,” Tedros said. “But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low.” His leadership has been praised by regional authorities for providing a “solid and effective response” to the crisis.
Origin and Path of the Outbreak
The outbreak originated in southern Argentina. It is linked to a landfill popular with birdwatchers where rodents carry the virus. The first fatality occurred on April 11, involving a Dutch man. His wife later died at a clinic in South Africa on April 26. A third fatality, a German woman, occurred on board on May 2, the same day a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses was reported to the WHO, the health organization said.
The MV Hondius will eventually return to Rotterdam with 30 crew members and the body of one deceased passenger. The ship will undergo a full disinfection process upon arrival in the Netherlands.
For the remaining passengers, the journey ends with a period of strict isolation. Spanish citizens will be quarantined at the Gomez Ulla military hospital in Madrid. The virus has an incubation period of up to nine weeks. This makes the duration of these upcoming quarantines uncertain but necessary.
Community Resilience Amid Uncertainty
As the first small boats reached the shore, the atmosphere in Tenerife remained one of cautious optimism. In the capital of Santa Cruz, residents expressed trust in the rigorous safety protocols. “The virus is dangerous, of course. But they say you need to have very close contact to get it,” said Jennifer, a local resident. “If we’re careful, we hope it’s not too serious.”
This sentiment reflects a community still scarred by past global health crises, yet focused on the orderly conclusion of a traumatic month at sea. While dozens of crew members remain on the ship to facilitate its return to the Netherlands, for most, there is at last an end in sight to weeks of fear and uncertainty.
