By Elsie Kamsiyochi
European governments are racing to evacuate hundreds of passengers stranded aboard a luxury cruise ship after a deadly hantavirus outbreak triggered an international health emergency in the Atlantic. Officials confirmed that several European nations are preparing emergency flights to bring citizens home as the infected vessel heads toward Spain’s Canary Islands.
The cruise ship, MV Hondius, is expected to arrive near Tenerife early Sunday morning, where authorities are planning a tightly controlled evacuation operation amid growing fears over the spread of the rare but dangerous virus. Governments across Europe, alongside international health officials, are coordinating what could become one of the region’s most complex maritime medical evacuations in recent years.
Spain’s Interior Minister announced on Saturday that Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands will send aircraft to evacuate their citizens from the ship. The European Union has also arranged additional flights for passengers from other member states who may not have direct transport available.
Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom are reportedly preparing contingency measures and transport options for non-European passengers whose governments cannot organize emergency evacuation flights quickly enough.
The ship’s arrival in Tenerife is being closely monitored by Spanish authorities, with officials warning that worsening weather conditions could severely narrow the evacuation window. According to emergency planners, passengers must be safely removed between Sunday afternoon and Monday before stormy seas expected later in the month complicate operations.
The crisis has drawn global attention, prompting World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to travel to Spain. Tedros is expected to meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid before heading to Tenerife alongside Spain’s health and interior ministers to oversee preparations and coordinate the international response.
The outbreak first raised alarms earlier this week after cases of hantavirus were detected onboard while the ship was travelling near the coast of Cape Verde. Following consultations with international health agencies, Spanish authorities agreed to receive the vessel and assist with emergency medical procedures and passenger evacuation.
Health officials confirmed that eight people onboard have fallen ill, with at least three deaths linked to the outbreak so far. Victims reportedly include a Dutch couple and a German national, intensifying concerns among passengers and governments alike. Six infections have been officially confirmed, while two additional cases remain under investigation.
Hantavirus is typically spread through exposure to infected rodents, although experts say rare forms of the virus have shown the ability to spread between humans under certain conditions. Because of this risk, health teams are treating the situation with extreme caution.
Spanish Health Minister Mónica García stated that all passengers, along with 17 crew members, will be evacuated upon arrival. However, around 30 crew members are expected to remain onboard as the vessel continues to the Netherlands, where it will undergo a full disinfection process. Authorities also confirmed that passengers’ luggage and the body of one deceased individual will remain onboard during the operation.
Spanish citizens are expected to disembark first, followed by passengers from other countries in an order determined by health authorities. Officials stressed that passengers will only be allowed off the vessel once their designated evacuation aircraft are prepared for immediate departure, minimizing the risk of further exposure.
As emergency teams prepare for the ship’s arrival, authorities continue to emphasize that the evacuation effort is designed to contain the outbreak while ensuring infected individuals receive urgent medical treatment.
With international health officials now directly involved and multiple governments mobilizing aircraft, the coming hours are expected to be critical in preventing the crisis from escalating further.
Source Reuters
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