Hantavirus Cruise Ship Evacuation Underway–Where Will Passengers Go Next?

The cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak has arrived in Spain's Canary Islands, with the operation to test passengers and crew and get them home underway.

The vessel, the MV Hondius, had been stranded for days as authorities debated how to safely handle the public health risk-which has left three people dead and several others infected. The ship has now anchored off the Spanish island of Tenerife, and the country's Health Minister Monica Garcia said that the "unprecedented operation" was "proceeding normally" in comments to the press on Sunday.

International Response

The ship has become the focus of a coordinated operation involving Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization. Several nations, including the U.S., Germany and France have also sent aircraft to assist in the evacuation of their citizens.

Medical teams boarded the ship to test those on board, and Garcia said on Sunday morning that the entire passenger group was without symptoms. According to an update from Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the luxury cruise, passengers will be "transferred immediately to their allocated aircraft" once disembarked, and will enter quarantine after returning to their home countries.

Repatriation flights are expected to take place on Sunday and Monday, officials said.

This is a developing story. More to come.

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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 6:07 AM.