Australian passengers disembarking from the MV Hondius, a cruise liner entangled in a hantavirus outbreak, will be outfitted with full personal protective equipment (PPE) for their flight home. This measure comes as efforts to repatriate those aboard the vessel near completion, with complex operations involving multiple nationalities and varying national responses.
The repatriation effort saw several Australians, including one New Zealand citizen, transit through the Netherlands under strict protocols before continuing their journey to Perth. This follows the ship's docking at Tenerife, where passengers were ferried to shore and transferred to waiting transport, unable to remain on the island or board commercial flights. The cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, is managing the situation, with luggage remaining on board the MV Hondius, which will subsequently undergo disinfection in the Netherlands after bunkering and resupplying.
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The MV Hondius arrived at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife early on Sunday morning. Concerns about the spread of the disease, which has already claimed lives among those on board, were significant on the islands. While some crew and the body of a deceased passenger will remain on the ship for its onward journey, authorities are facilitating the return of passengers to their home countries.
Initial reports indicated four Australian citizens and one permanent resident were among those requiring repatriation assistance. An Australian government-supported charter flight was scheduled to depart Tenerife on Monday afternoon local time, carrying medical staff to monitor passengers during the journey.
Health officials have sought to allay public fears, stating that hantavirus is not easily transmitted between people and typically spreads from rodent droppings. This assessment comes as a separate group of American passengers evacuated from the ship reported positive hantavirus tests, though some were asymptomatic.
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The MV Hondius was reportedly carrying passengers from over 20 different nationalities. Spain, where the ship docked, is managing its own passengers and crew, with a portion of those aboard identified as Spanish nationals. The broader international response highlights varying national approaches to quarantine and isolation protocols for those disembarking from the affected vessel.
