Spain on Monday completed a large-scale international evacuation and repatriation operation involving passengers and crew members aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which had been affected by a Hantavirus outbreak after more than a week of tensions over the vessel’s health management.
The MV Hondius departed from the Port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife on Monday evening, heading for Rotterdam after a nearly 40-hour operation coordinated by Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Mission accomplished,” Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said from the quayside at the Port of Granadilla de Abona. “We have evacuated the 125 passengers and crew members from 23 countries, who have either already returned home or are currently being repatriated,” she added.
The final disembarkation operations took place on Monday after the ship was exceptionally authorized to dock at the Port of Granadilla because strong waves and powerful gusts of wind had made evacuation by small boats too dangerous.
According to Spanish health authorities, keeping the ship anchored offshore while continuing transfers by zodiac boats could have led to sudden and unpredictable movements of both the vessel and the auxiliary boats, increasing the risk of people falling overboard.
Wearing full blue biohazard suits, the last 26 evacuees were flown to the Netherlands aboard two specially chartered aircraft. One plane carried crew members, while the other transported several Australian, New Zealand, and British nationals.
According to local media reports, the two planes – one carrying 19 Hondius crew members (17 Filipinos, one Dutch national, and one German) and the other carrying six passengers (four Australians, one New Zealander, and one British resident of Australia), along with three doctors – landed in Eindhoven early Monday morning.
The MV Hondius later resumed its journey to Rotterdam with 27 crew members and a WHO doctor still on board. Spanish authorities said disinfection operations would be carried out at the Port of Granadilla following the ship’s departure.
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