Kamal Ghorui
A flight carrying evacuees from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius landed in the Netherlands on Sunday, with passengers disembarking in good spirits as authorities began quarantine procedures for those onboard.The flight from Tenerife, where the Dutch-flagged cruise ship is currently docked, carried 26 passengers and crew members, including eight Dutch nationals, according to the Netherlands foreign ministry.Passengers wearing medical masks and carrying backpacks or large white plastic bags exited the black Airbus aircraft in small groups after a journey lasting more than three-and-a-half hours. Escorted by airport staff, they walked into the military terminal, with several waving at cameras and stopping to take selfies or photographs after landing.None of the evacuees required assistance while disembarking or walking to the terminal, an AFP reporter at the airport observed.Dutch authorities said all passengers would undergo quarantine for around six weeks. Residents of the Netherlands would be transported home for home isolation, while foreign nationals would be taken to a designated quarantine facility.“Relieved that they are safely on their way after a period of uncertainty and that other passengers are travelling home via other routes,” Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said on X.According to the foreign ministry, the passengers on the flight also included four Germans, four Filipinos, two Indians, two Belgians, and one citizen each from Argentina, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, Guatemala and Montenegro.German ambulances arrived at the airport shortly after the plane landed, while Dutch ambulances were also seen transporting patients from the airport.The MV Hondius has been at the centre of an international health scare after three passengers died during a hantavirus outbreak onboard.Two ill evacuees had already arrived in the Netherlands last week and are currently being treated in separate hospitals. Authorities said both tested positive for hantavirus and remain in stable condition.There are currently no vaccines or specific treatments available for hantavirus, which is endemic in Argentina, where the expedition cruise departed in April.Health officials, however, have said the risk to global public health remains low and have dismissed comparisons with the Covid-19 pandemic.Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said the ship would sail to the Dutch port city of Rotterdam with a skeleton crew once all passengers and crew are evacuated.The Dutch foreign ministry said a second evacuation flight is scheduled for Monday to transport more crew members from the vessel.
