The Dutch flagged hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius is refueled by a tanker in the port of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on May 11, 2026. Spain on Monday said it took "all measures" to prevent hantavirus spreading from evacuees on a cruise ship hit by the virus, after French and US nationals tested positive. A complex repatriation operation from the Canary Islands on Sunday flew out 94 passengers and crew of 19 different nationalities from the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, which had been at the centre of an international alert after three passengers died. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)
May 11, 2026
Spain says final hantavirus ship evacuees to take plane to Netherlands
GRANADILLA DE ABONA, Spain (AFP) — The final 22 people to leave a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak will take a plane to the Netherlands on Monday rather than evacuate in two separate flights, Spain’s health minister said.
“In the end, the flight to the Netherlands will also take the citizens who are on the Australian flight,” Monica Garcia said. She added that Australian authorities “can’t guarantee the arrival on time” of their plane.
