Four Ukrainians remain on board MV Hondius amid hantavirus outbreak

Four Ukrainian nationals remain as part of the crew aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, while one of them is expected to be evacuated.

Officials said the evacuation will be conducted by a special flight to the Netherlands, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

The remaining four Ukrainians are staying on board as crew members to help navigate the vessel to the Netherlands, where passengers and staff will undergo medical quarantine upon arrival.

Ukrainian authorities said the crew currently show no signs of illness.

The outbreak of hantavirus has killed at least three people so far.

Consular services from Ukraine, including its embassies in the Netherlands and Spain and the consulate in Malaga, are monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the evacuee.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged expedition ship, was carrying 170 passengers and 71 crew on a three-week voyage from Argentina, with stops including Antarctica and the Falkland Islands.

At least three deaths have been reported, including a 70-year-old Dutch man and his 69-year-old wife, who fell ill aboard the vessel. The World Health Organisation confirmed the presence of hantavirus on the ship.

Hantavirus is typically transmitted from animals to humans through contact with rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is rare but has been linked to the Andes strain, which was detected in several cases on board.

Following the outbreak, the ship was placed in isolation and later anchored off Cabo Verde before proceeding to Tenerife, where authorities arranged further medical assessments. The WHO said Cabo Verde lacked sufficient capacity for testing, making the Canary Islands the nearest suitable location.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov