The vessel, which departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 with the aim of wildlife observation in the South Atlantic, was affected by a hantavirus outbreak that led to three deaths. On board were 149 individuals of 23 different nationalities.
The first fatality was recorded on April 11, when a 70-year-old Dutch passenger died in his cabin. This case was identified as the “patient zero” of the outbreak. Subsequently, on April 24, the body was disembarked on Saint Helena Island, and his wife was transferred to Johannesburg for medical attention, where she passed away on April 26. A third victim, a German national, died on board on May 2.
The World Health Organization (WHO) received official notification and confirmed six affected cases, formally requesting Spain to host the vessel to manage the humanitarian crisis.
The situation escalated when scientific analyses confirmed on May 5 that the deaths were due to the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only variant capable of human-to-human transmission, significantly increasing the health risk. After being denied entry in Cape Verde, the ship proceeded to Tenerife.
On May 10, the MV Hondius docked at the Granadilla pier at 06:05 hours. The Military Emergency Unit (UME) coordinated the transfer of the 14 Spanish citizens to Tenerife South Airport for their admission to the Gómez Ulla Hospital in Madrid, where they will undergo mandatory quarantine. The remaining international passengers were repatriated on flights chartered by their respective countries.
