A highly coordinated international operation has seen 122 individuals brought ashore and repatriated from the Canary Islands for the virus-stricken expedition cruise ship
The disembarkation of passengers and crew from the hantavirus-stricken polar expedition ship Hondius was completed at the port of Granadilla, Tenerife, on 11 May.
AIS data shows the Dutch-flagged vessel subsequently departed the Canary Islands and is now en route to Rotterdam.
“At 19:00 … local time, Hondius departed Granadilla and is now underway towards Rotterdam, the Netherlands,” confirmed Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator, adding that 25 crew members and two medical professionals accompany the vessel.
Before the final transfer of guests and crew, Hondius bunkered in Granadilla and took on essential supplies for its transit to Northern Europe.
WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared video footage of the tightly controlled transfer process on social media.
The 6,300-gt vessel arrived at the outer anchorage of Granadilla in the early hours of 10 May. It was diverted to the Canary Islands after Spain agreed to host the vessel following formal requests from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union.
Local officials in the Canary Islands had insisted that the vessel remain at anchor rather than being permitted to dock alongside, to minimise any direct contact with the local population.
Led by Spanish health authorities, the WHO, and international government representatives, the disembarkation was carried out using local launch boats to ferry passengers ashore in small, managed groups.
“All guests and a limited number of crew members have now been transferred from m/v Hondius to waiting aircraft. The total number of individuals repatriated to their home countries and the Netherlands is 122 (35 crew, 87 guests),” Oceanwide Expeditions said.
