Hantavirus: First evacuation flight leaves Tenerife

https://p.dw.com/p/5DLmQ

A group of people in protective gear, some of them wearing gas masks, stand next to a rolling staircase at an airport (May 10, 2026) — While health officials insist there is little danger of the virus spreading, evacuation teams are also taking heavy precautionsImage: Borja Suarez/REUTERS

AdvertisementSkip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

The virus-hit MV Hondius arrived off the Spanish port of Granadilla, Tenerife
The vessel did not dock and is anchored in the harbor
None of the remaining passengers or crew have shown symptoms of infection, though all will be tested.
The US, the UK, and several European countries are dispatched aircraft to evacuate their citizens
The head of the World Health Organization said the risk posed by the hantavirus outbreak “remains low.”

Stay with us for the latest news on the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak:

Skip next section Pope Leo thanks the Canary Islands for letting the hantavirus-hit ship to anchor05/10/2026May 10, 2026

Pope Leo thanks the Canary Islands for letting the hantavirus-hit ship to anchor

Addressing the faithful from St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV praised the people of Spain's Canary Islands, which includes Tenerife, for allowing the cruise ship Hondius into one if its ports after a hantavirus outbreak.

"I would like to express my gratitude for the hospitality that characterizes the people of the Canary Islands, and for taking in the cruise ship Hondius with the hantavirus patients,” Leo said after his midday prayer on Sunday.

Initially, regional officials in the Canary Islands refused to let the ship enter its ports, citing public safety. These objections have been overruled by the central government in Madrid.

The pope is due to visit Tenerife in just over a month and attend an event in the Santa Cruz port.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXyHSkip next section First plane with Hondius passengers leaves Tenerife, heads to Madrid05/10/2026May 10, 2026

First plane with Hondius passengers leaves Tenerife, heads to Madrid

Three people in full-body protective gear seen entering a Spanish government plane, with the fourth person looking on (May 10, 2025) — The Spanish nationals aboard the plane are to be quarantined in a military hospitalImage: Arturo Rodriguez/AP Photo/picture alliance

The plane carrying 13 passengers and one crew member evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship has left the Tenerife airport and is flying towards Madrid, where the group is to be placed in quarantine.

This is the first out of several evacuation flights expected today and tomorrow.

Two men in protective gear and with gas masks direct passengers as they disembark (May 10, 2026) — Authorities are transporting passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship anchored off Tenerife aboard smaller boatsImage: AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

Cruise shop MV Hondius was affected by a hantavirus outbreak after leaving Argentina. Earlier today, it reached the Spanish island of Tenerife with more than 140 from 20 nations aboard, triggering an international evacuation effort.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXxmSkip next section German firefighters to pick up German Hondius passengers from a Dutch airport05/10/2026May 10, 2026

German firefighters to pick up German Hondius passengers from a Dutch airport

As multiple nations work to transfer their nationals from Tenerife following the evacuation of the Hondius cruise ship, a Dutch flight is set to transport a group of passengers from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Greece to the Dutch city of Eindhoven.

At the Dutch airport, four Germans will reportedly be met by German firefighters who will then transport them to Frankfurt, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast.

Citing unnamed sources, Germany's DPA news agency said that any patient starting to show symptoms of a hantavirus infection will be taken to a clinic in the western German city of Dusseldorf.

The clinic is already treating a 65-year-old woman who had been a passenger on the Hondius and in contact with the German woman who passed away during the journey.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXu2Skip next section First passengers leave hantavirus-hit shipPublished 05/10/2026Published May 10, 2026last updated 05/10/2026last updated May 10, 2026

First passengers leave hantavirus-hit ship

Passengers are being taken from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife on May 10, 2026. — The ship has not docked but anchored in the harbor, with people ferried off in small launch boatsImage: AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

The first group of passengers, all Spanish nationals, have disembarked from the Hondius and been transported ashore on the Spanish island of Tenerife.

They are set to board military buses that will take them to the airport, where they will fly on a military plane to Madrid. Once there, they will be placed in quarantine.

"The entire operation is proceeding normally," Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said.

Dutch nationals are expected to be the next to leave the vessel.

A medical team has now boarded the MV Hondius and is conducting an epidemiological investigation, according to the Spanish Health Ministry.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXjYSkip next section UK parachutes medical team to remote Tristan da Cunha island05/10/2026May 10, 2026

UK parachutes medical team to remote Tristan da Cunha island

After a British national with a suspected hantavirus infection disembarked from the Hondius on the island of Tristan da Cunha, the UK military parachuted "specialist paratroopers and military clinicians" onto the British overseas territory.

Oxygen and other medical equipment were also dropped from the RAF cargo plane. The UK military described the drop as a "daring parachute operation to deliver critical medical support."

The remote volcanic island, home of the Hondius passenger, is located in the South Atlantic and has no airstrip, making it accessible only by boat.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the safety of "all members of the British family" is the top priority and that her government will continue to ensure that "the right support is in place in the UK and across the Overseas Territories."

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXglSkip next section Health officials start medical checks on Hondius passengers05/10/2026May 10, 2026

Health officials start medical checks on Hondius passengers

A person in protective hear walks aboard a small boat next to MV Hondius — After disembarking, passengers will be transported to the airport in sealed busesImage: Hannah McKay/REUTERS

Medical teams are now checking passengers for signs of infection as they disembark MV Hondius. The passengers are to be transported to land in small boats, divided into groups of five.

Spanish nationals will be the first to disembark.

Authorities previously said none of the nearly 150 passengers and crew aboard the ship currently showed symptoms of a Hantavirus infection. However, the incubation period for the virus can last for up to eight weeks.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXgQSkip next section Evacuation teams deployed to Tenerife port05/10/2026May 10, 2026

Evacuation teams deployed to Tenerife port

The MV Hondious anchored in Tenerife with a smaller Guardia Civil boat next to it (May 10, 2026) — The ship reached the Spanish port on Sunday morning after starting its journey in Argentina in early AprilImage: Antonio Sempere/AFP

Spain's law enforcement agency Guardia Civil has sent teams to Tenerife the Port of Granadilla where the cruise ship MV Hondius is now anchored.

An armed man in full protective gear, involving a face mask and goggles, talks to man sitting in a Guardia Civil car (May 10, 2026) — Spanish law enforcement is set to supervise the two-day evacuation processImage: Jorge Guerrero/AFP

Nearly 150 people are onboard. International passengers will only be allowed to leave when their planes are ready at the nearby airport.

People wear face masks as they stand on the deck of Hondius (May 10, 2025) — The Dutch-flagged vessel carries passengers from over 20 countriesImage: Manu Fernandez/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

All Spanish passengers are to be quarantined in a medical facility in Madrid.

A group of men in protective gear walk past a wire barrier behind a uniformed policeman (May 10, 2026) — Health authorities sought to reassure the public that the danger of the virus spreading among the population remains lowImage: Hannah McKay/REUTERS

The authorities hope to complete the evacuation process by tomorrow, with the last flight set to depart for Australia.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXaLSkip next section Hondius set to sail to the Netherlands after evacuation05/10/2026May 10, 2026

Hondius set to sail to the Netherlands after evacuation

After all passengers and some crew evacuate the luxury cruise ship Hondius, the vessel is expected to sail to the Netherlands for disinfection. It will also transport the body of a German woman, one of three passengers believed to have died from the hantavirus outbreak, to a Dutch port.

The first victim, a Dutch man, was taken off the ship at the remote Atlantic island of St. Helena. His wife later died in a South African hospital after disembarking.

Civil Guard border police officers following the arrival of hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026. — Medical staff are to first examine the people on board the MV HondiusImage: AP Photo/picture alliance

According to a manifest provided by the ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, six Germans remain aboard the ship. They are to be evacuated and flown back to Germany.

Germany's official public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, recommends six weeks of isolation for suspected contact persons who are not showing symptoms of hantavirus infection. The quarantine can also be conducted at home.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXWnSkip next section What happens next?05/10/2026May 10, 2026

What happens next?

A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has arrived at the Spanish island of Tenerife.

Spanish authorities say medical teams will first screen everyone on board for acute symptoms.

If none are found, passengers will disembark in groups of five, wearing FFP2 masks and carrying only light hand luggage.

They will be taken by bus to the airport and flown home on special charter flights arranged by their countries.

The World Health Organization says returns are planned for Sunday and Monday, with passengers expected to enter quarantine after arrival.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXO8Skip next section Cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak reaches Tenerife05/10/2026May 10, 2026

Cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak reaches Tenerife

Luxury cruise ship Hondius anchored next to a large cargo ship at the Granadilla de Abona port in Tenerife (May 10, 2026) — Authorities say none of the nearly 150 people aboard the MV Hondius (right) are currently showing symptoms of infectionImage: Hannah McKay/REUTERS

The vessel Hondius, which was hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, arrived near the Port of Granadilla on Spain's island of Tenerife on Sunday morning.

The virus killed three people aboard the luxury vessel.

Spanish officials said passengers would be tested before being transported ashore in small boats, then taken to the airport in sealed buses and flown to their home countries for quarantine.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DXI5Skip next section What are the evacuation plans for Hantavirus-stricken ship passengers?05/10/2026May 10, 2026

What are the evacuation plans for Hantavirus-stricken ship passengers?

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is in Tenerife to oversee the safe disembarkation of passengers and crew [File: May 9]Image: Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu/picture alliance

Spanish authorities are gearing up for the arrival of the MV Hondius, with nearly 150 people on board.

Here's what we know about the evacuation plans:

The Dutch-flagged MV Hodius is expected to anchor offshore
Those aboard will be screened and brought ashore in small boats

They will be taken to the airport by bus once the planes from their countries are ready for take-off
Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands have confirmed they will send planes to evacuate their citizens aboard MV Hodius
The European Union is sending two more planes for the remaining European citizens
The US and UK said planes and contingency plans were being arranged for non-EU citizens
Local authorities say the evacuation must take place between Sunday and Monday, before weather conditions at sea change
After the evacuation operation, MV Hondius is set to continue onward to the Netherlands, where it is to be disinfected in accordance with international protocols

https://p.dw.com/p/5DX9RSkip next section What to know about Hantavirus cases if you're joining us on Sunday05/10/2026May 10, 2026

What to know about Hantavirus cases if you're joining us on Sunday

Roshni Majumdar Editor

Spain is preparing for the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius to arrive early Sunday in the Canary Islands.
As of May 8, a total of eight cases (six confirmed and two probable cases), including three deaths (two confirmed and one probable), have been reported, the WHO said.
The ship, which began its journey on April 1 in Argentina, is carrying nearly 150 people from more than 20 countries.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DX9QSkip next section Sanchez: Spain has 'moral and legal' duty to allow Hondius to dock05/09/2026May 9, 2026

Sanchez: Spain has 'moral and legal' duty to allow Hondius to dock

It is Spain's "duty" to offer a safe port to a cruise ship hit with a deadly hantavirus outbreak for the evacuation of its passengers, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

The Hondius is due to arrive off the coast of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, early on Sunday morning.

Permitting the operation at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) "is a moral and legal duty for our citizens, Europe and international law," Sanchez said on X after meeting with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Madrid.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DWsVSkip next section Flights home planned for virus-hit cruise ship passengers, says Spain05/09/2026May 9, 2026

Flights home planned for virus-hit cruise ship passengers, says Spain

Spain said arrangements have been made to fly European passengers home when they leave the hantavirus-hit Hondius cruise ship.

"I can confirm that return flights to France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands have already been planned," Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told a news conference.

Grande-Marlaska said two planes from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism are on standby, adding that the UK and US had made their own repatriation arrangements for their citizens.

The Hondius is due to arrive off southern Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, early on Sunday morning.

Spanish officials have insisted that all those aboard will be checked for symptoms and will be taken directly onto the runway before boarding planes.

Spanish nationals will be flown to Madrid by military plane, where they will be quarantined at a hospital.