Spanish authorities have evacuated 94 passengers and crew members from the cruise ship Hondius following a hantavirus outbreak linked to multiple deaths onboard, according to Spanish Health Minister Mónica García.
The evacuation operation took place in the Canary Islands, where affected passengers from 19 different countries were transported aboard eight private aircraft.
Officials said additional evacuation and transfer operations are scheduled to continue, including the arrival of aircraft from the Netherlands and Australia.
According to Spanish authorities, a Dutch aircraft is expected to transport six passengers, while an Australian aircraft will evacuate 18 affected individuals.
The cruise ship Hondius has been at the center of growing international attention after several fatalities were linked to a hantavirus outbreak onboard.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically transmitted through exposure to infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission remains uncommon in most known strains.
The outbreak has raised heightened health and containment concerns given the confined environment of cruise vessels and the international movement of passengers.
Earlier, the World Health Organization said the situation does not currently indicate the onset of a wider epidemic or pandemic, though global health authorities continue to monitor developments closely.
Health officials have also intensified screening and monitoring procedures involving passengers, crew members, and individuals who may have come into contact with infected persons during the voyage.
The Hondius, a small expedition cruise vessel, departed from southern Argentina earlier this year before the outbreak was detected.
Authorities in multiple countries are now coordinating passenger transfers, medical evaluations, and quarantine protocols where necessary.
Industry analysts note that the incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of the cruise industry to infectious disease outbreaks, even years after the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped global health protocols for maritime travel.
Cruise operators worldwide continue to maintain enhanced sanitation, emergency response, and passenger health-monitoring systems amid rising scrutiny of outbreak preparedness.
The latest evacuation operation also demonstrates the logistical complexity of managing multinational health incidents involving international passengers, aviation coordination, and cross-border medical response systems.
Spanish health officials said medical monitoring efforts remain ongoing as authorities continue evaluating passengers and crew members linked to the outbreak.
—With inputs from WAM
