First passengers disembark MV Hondius in Tenerife amid Hantavirus outbreak
The first passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, began disembarking this morning after the vessel docked at Granadilla port on the island of Tenerife, Agenzia Nova reported.
At around 9:40 a.m. local time, five passengers boarded a tugboat, escorted by a Spanish Civil Guard patrol vessel, and were transferred to the port. From there, they traveled by bus to Tenerife South Airport, located about twelve kilometers away.
Última hora #GuardiaCivil escolta a los ocupantes del MV HONDIUS desde el puerto de Granadilla de Abona al aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur.#Hondius pic.twitter.com/E8MZQdlMr1
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) May 10, 2026
According to Health Minister Monica García, the initial group evacuated consisted of Spanish citizens. They will be followed by passengers from the Netherlands, then travelers from other countries along with some crew members.
The repatriation process will continue throughout the day, with passengers returning to their home countries on scheduled flights. The final flight, departing tomorrow afternoon, will carry Australian citizens. The Netherlands has also arranged a recovery plane for tomorrow to pick up any passengers not repatriated directly.
Todo está preparado para recibir a los ocupantes del MV HONDIUS en el puerto de Granadilla, en Tenerife. Participan más de 300 efectivos de la Guardia Civil, incluyendo medios aéreos, varias embarcaciones del servicio marítimo, especialistas NRBQ, GRS y unidades de seguridad… pic.twitter.com/Tl5mhN4qOb
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) May 10, 2026
Approximately 350 law enforcement officers are taking part in the disembarkation of passengers.
The shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that non‑Spanish citizens will not undergo quarantine in Spain. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense will transfer 14 Spanish nationals from the Canary Islands to a hospital in Madrid, where they will be quarantined.
Spanish authorities have implemented a special evacuation protocol and assured that the ship’s arrival in the Canary Islands poses no risk to the local population. Concerns over health risks had led the archipelago’s governor, Fernando Clavijo, to initially deny docking permission, but the central government ultimately ordered the vessel to dock.
Once passenger evacuation is complete, the ship - carrying about 30 crew members - will depart for the Netherlands to undergo disinfection.
The MV Hondius originally left Ushuaia, Argentina, in April, bound for the Canary Islands. Around 150 people remain on board, primarily citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Earlier, it was reported that the vessel, carrying 147 passengers and crew from 22 countries, was expected to arrive in the Canary Islands this weekend under strict health measures agreed upon with the WHO.
