Passengers began disembarking from the MV Hondius cruise ship on Sunday, May 10, 2026, after the vessel anchored off Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands [1], [2], [3].

The evacuation is a critical public health response to a deadly hantavirus outbreak on board. Authorities are moving quickly to isolate and test passengers to prevent the virus from spreading to the local population of the islands.

A total of 87 passengers and crew members began the disembarkation process [1]. Among those being evacuated are five Australians [1]. The ship remained anchored off the coast as health officials coordinated the transfer of individuals for medical screening, and subsequent repatriation [1], [2], [3].

Hantavirus is a group of viruses typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents. Because the outbreak on the MV Hondius has been described as deadly, the priority for Spanish authorities and cruise operators is the immediate isolation of symptomatic and exposed individuals [2], [3].

The World Health Organization has monitored the situation as the ship arrived in the Canary Islands. The organization said the risk to the local population remains low [1], [2], [3].

Medical teams are currently overseeing the testing phase to determine the extent of the infection among the 87 people leaving the ship [1]. Once testing is complete, the process of repatriating the passengers to their home countries will begin [1], [3].

“Eighty-seven passengers and crew members began the disembarkation process”

The isolation of the MV Hondius highlights the complexities of managing infectious disease outbreaks within the closed environment of a cruise ship. While the WHO has assessed the risk to the general public as low, the necessity of a full evacuation for testing and repatriation underscores the high contagion risk and severity associated with this specific hantavirus strain.