MV Hondius sails for the Netherlands after final passenger evacuation
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Timestamp shown in UTC unless otherwise indicated.
MV Hondius left Tenerife and sailed toward the Netherlands. That happened after the final passengers and part of the crew were taken off the ship.
The move closed the most visible phase of the outbreak. But the longer medical watch is only beginning now.
Who left the ship last
The final passenger group included four Australians, one Briton living in Australia and one New Zealander. Nineteen crew members and two doctors also disembarked.
After a short stop, the ship continued its route. It sailed on with 25 crew members, a doctor and a nurse still on board.
The evacuees were taken to Tenerife airport and placed on flights to the Netherlands. From there, part of the route continued toward Australia.
Why WHO spoke about mental strain
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said some passengers were close to breakdown. He described the long wait in a confined space as a serious burden.
That is why evacuation to shore was judged the best option. In practice, officials said there was no better realistic alternative left.
“There was even mental exhaustion among some passengers. Living for weeks in a small container is extremely hard,” Tedros said.
What the outbreak numbers showed
By May 11, WHO reported seven confirmed Andes hantavirus cases. Two other cases were still considered suspected.
The confirmed list included a French passenger after evacuation. Positive or unclear results were also reported in the United States and Spain.
Officials kept repeating the same core message - the virus is serious, but the risk to the wider public remains low.
- Confirmed cases - 7
- Suspected cases - 2
- Deaths - 3
- Evacuated and repatriated - 94 people
Main figures at departure
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Repatriated people | 94 |
| Confirmed cases | 7 |
| Suspected cases | 2 |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Crew left on board after departure | 25 |
Spain, WHO and national health agencies are now entering the longest phase - monitoring contacts. That stage will show how many more cases surface later.
The ship has left. But the story is clearly not over.