Inside the military-style Tenerife operation to get passengers off the hantavirus cruise ship

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the most reviled cruise ship in the world will dock off the waters of Tenerife.

The release of 147 passengers and crew on board MV Hondius, which has sailed from Cape Verde to the Spanish island, has proved deeply contentious after an outbreak of hantavirus, which has left three people dead.

The ship was initially refused access in Cape Verde and its arrival in the Canary Islands this weekend has caused uproar amongst its residents, who fear the virus will spread to shore.

The authorities have been met by protesters as they make last minute preparations to receive the controversial boat and process those on board.

The ship is expected to enter Canarian waters between 3am and 5am in the early hours of Sunday morning and anchor just outside the Port of Granadilla sits on Tenerife's southeastern coast.

The industrial harbour is 13 minutes drive from the island’s South Airport, where the repatriation flights will depart and 20 minutes drive away from the iconic tourist town of Granadilla de Abona.

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“We all want passengers to return safely but we are worried how this is going to impact our health, and our businesses, which depend on tourism", says Patricia Fernández Bueno, 44, a holiday rental owner who lives in the town.

The Port of Granadilla was agreed on Thursday after days of disagreement between Madrid and the regional government.

The Hondius will anchor — not dock - and small vessels will ferry passengers ashore in groups of five into a restricted port area, where health-protected vehicles will drive them directly to South Airport.

Spanish nationals will be flown to Madrid and referred to the Gómez Ulla military hospital.

"Operations would begin from dawn, once there is enough daylight to start working," Alfonso Cabello, regional spokesperson told reporters. "We estimate, though this is a calculation that depends on flight availability and on anchoring a cruise ship of over 100 metres in length, that operations could begin around 12:00 noon."

"We need to guarantee that the ship leaves the port by Monday." Cabello stressed that weather conditions will make any manoeuvre impossible from Monday onwards — and with conditions not expected to improve until the end of May, there would be no second chance.

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That tight window is when authorities plan to disembark, process, and repatriate passengers from 22 nationalities.

Thirty crew members will remain on board to continue the voyage to the Netherlands and Dutch authorities would then be responsible for disinfecting the vessel at a Dutch port.

The body of a passenger who died on the ship will remain on board throughout the journey to the Netherlands.

If the weather deteriorates before all passengers have disembarked, The Hondius would continue with its remaining passengers to the Netherlands, said Cabello.

Tensions rose sharply as the ship approached the Islands. The regional government, led by Fernando Clavijo, criticised the lack of prior medical reports and communication from the central government.

Dozens protested in Gran Canaria on Thursday – the neighbouring island, while others gathered in Tenerife on Friday and Saturday.

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Elena Ruiz, spokesperson for the Tenerife port workers' union, told The Independent that around 55 union workers at the port of Granadilla would not turn up to work on Saturday or Sunday, and islanders will also be gathering at the port in protest.

She said: "What’s coming is a biological risk. There is an established protocol for smaller arrivals of migrant boats, but this is on a much larger scale, and there are not sufficient protocols to ensure the safety of those handling the arrival.

“Even the Civil Guard itself is worried and scared, and I believe they simply don't have sufficient resources."

She clarified that the workers' absence will not affect the ship's arrival itself, explaining that the port police and Civil Guard will handle the operation, but that the impact will be felt on the industrial side of the port.

“We are a second-class port when it comes to work – put in second place when it comes to the jobs, and first place when it comes to the risk,” says Ruiz.

Several countries which have nationals on board the MV Hondius are sending aircraft to Tenerife to arrive on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

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For passengers whose countries have not arranged transport, European Union flights will be employed. The Netherlands has confirmed it will also take responsibility for non-essential crew members.

Cabello insisted that every worker involved, from bus drivers and maritime personnel to national police officers and health staff, has been assigned a specific protocol, PPE level, and distance requirement. Passengers will be transported directly to the aeroplane without entering terminals.

A separate meeting involving the Granadilla City Council, the Civil Guard, the Port Authority, and the Canarian Police was held Friday afternoon to coordinate traffic management and ensure priority passage along the road corridor between the port and the airport.

"The reports received stated that in principle there are no passengers nor crew who show any symptoms since April 28th," Cabello said.

If a passenger tests positive but does not require urgent care, they will still be repatriated, Cabello confirmed. But the island is prepared if someone falls seriously ill, he said, adding that resources are available on the island to provide care if needed.

Once passengers are back in their home countries, quarantine procedures will need to be determined.

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Pedro Gullón, General Director of Public Health at the Spanish Ministry of Health said authorities are studying how long the Spanish passengers will need to remain in isolation.

"We have to assess this based on the virus's incubation period, when symptoms are most likely to appear, so as not to prolong the quarantine beyond what is necessary from a public health perspective," he said.

Hantavirus can incubate for up to 45 days, though the Andes variant — the only strain transmitted between humans, and the one detected on the Hondius — typically has a contagion window of around 48 hours before and after the onset of symptoms.

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