The operation, aimed at disembarking travelers from the vessel, will be carried out within a single window of opportunity, from the first light of Sunday until the weather conditions change on Monday. The cruise ship will anchor “inside the port” of Granadilla during the early hours of Saturday to Sunday to facilitate disembarkation.
“"The entire operation must be carried out in a single, swift movement: disembarkation of passengers by tenders, transfer in encapsulated and escorted 'bubble buses' to the airport, and boarding planes without even passing through passport control. Therefore, we expect the maximum number of planes to be on the runway by Saturday night."
This decision was made after meetings with a delegation from the Netherlands embassy and local authorities. It has been confirmed that most of the 23 countries with citizens on board have ensured the availability of their planes between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Each passenger will have an assigned plane based on their nationality, and transfers to the airport will be directly to the aircraft steps, bypassing the terminal.
The European Union has committed an aircraft to transport passengers from nine EU countries and three non-EU states with existing agreements. Planes from the United States, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Spain are also expected. Should the operation not be completed in time, the cruise ship would continue its journey to the Netherlands with the remaining passengers, as weather conditions are not expected to improve until late May.
The Audiencia Nacional (Spanish National Court) has refused to halt the arrival of the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands, considering the action as international cooperation in a health emergency that does not compromise Spanish public health. However, it has requested the Ministry of Health for records related to the decision to allow the ship to anchor.
In parallel, the Cabildo de Tenerife has preventively activated the Insular Emergency Plan (PEIN) since Saturday afternoon to protect the population and ensure health safety. Measures have been established for ship monitoring, movement control, and health traceability, and the Granadilla City Council has been recommended to activate its Municipal Emergency Plan.
