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Officials in the Canary Islands have identified a critical, narrow window to evacuate a cruise ship currently grappling with a deadly hantavirus outbreak.
The regional government announced on Friday that the rescue operation for the MV Hondius must be executed between Sunday and Monday morning.
This urgency is driven by a forecast of severe weather, including high winds and heavy swells, which would force the vessel to depart the area and potentially delay any further assistance until late May.
The ship is expected to arrive at Tenerife’s Granadilla port between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM on Sunday, slightly ahead of its initial schedule.
To maintain safety protocols, the vessel will not dock but will anchor offshore.
Passengers and crew will be transported to land via smaller boats, where buses will wait to take them directly to the airport for international repatriation flights.
The situation aboard the MV Hondius has drawn global attention following the deaths of three individuals since the ship left Argentina in April.
Earlier this week, three others were medically evacuated near Cape Verde.
Despite initial reluctance from the Canary Islands’ local government, Spanish national authorities agreed to accept the vessel, which currently carries nearly 150 people from 23 different nations.
Spokesman Alfonso Cabello emphasised that if the transfer is not finalised by Monday, the ship will be legally required to resume its journey due to the rapidly deteriorating maritime conditions.
Virginia Barcones, head of emergency services, confirmed that the ship’s current speed has allowed authorities to move the start of the operation to Sunday morning to maximise the available time.
