The “Hondius” cruise ship, which has been hit by a Hantavirus outbreak, is rushing to evacuate its passengers. According to Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), all passengers on board are expected to disembark by the end of today, May 11, 2026.
This morning, the Spanish health department launched the second phase of the massive evacuation operation, focusing on transferring foreign passengers and non-essential crew members. The ship, which arrived at the port of Gran Canaria, Spain, on May 10, has been anchored about 500 meters offshore, and the evacuation process began yesterday and is expected to continue until today.
Based on the experience of evacuating Spanish nationals on the first day, the second phase of the operation has a clearer division of labor. Passengers from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, and Australia are being transferred to tugboats after undergoing rigorous on-site medical evaluations.
Due to reports of suspected cases among foreign passengers, the Spanish Ministry of Health has required all disembarking passengers to change into new biosecurity equipment before entering the airport. According to plans, multiple charter flights will take off from the airport in southern Tenerife today, including the last flight to transport Australian citizens and a “clearance flight” sent by the Dutch government to pick up all remaining passengers.
After confirming that all passengers have been evacuated, the ship will be taken over by 17 core crew members responsible for navigation. The ship is expected to set sail for its destination, Rotterdam, Netherlands, later today. A professional biosecurity team will then conduct a thorough disinfection of the ship at the port of Rotterdam, which is expected to last several weeks.
Previously, on the evening of May 10, Spanish Health Minister Mónica García stated that 94 people had been evacuated from the ship as of that evening.
Dr. Van Kerkhove, acting head of the WHO’s Department of Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses, said that this is a collaborative effort led by Spain and supported by the Netherlands. For those who have already been evacuated from the ship, our advice is to actively monitor and follow up on their health status, which means they should undergo daily health checks at home or in specialized institutions.
Dr. Van Kerkhove stated on May 9 that the WHO recommends active monitoring and follow-up of all disembarked passengers for 42 days, starting from the last time they came into contact with confirmed or suspected Hantavirus cases. Dr. Van Kerkhove also said that the WHO currently classifies all passengers on the ship as “high-risk contacts,” but the risk to the general public remains low.
However, the latest news shows that suspected cases have already appeared among disembarked passengers. According to reports from foreign media, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne said on social media on May 10 that one of the five French passengers who disembarked showed symptoms of suspected infection on the flight back to France and has been strictly isolated and will undergo medical testing and health evaluation. Additionally, a US health official stated that 17 American passengers on the ship underwent Hantavirus testing, and one of them tested positive, but has not shown any symptoms.
