06.05.2026 17:35
The MV Hondius ship in the Atlantic Ocean is shaken by a Hantavirus outbreak. Panic prevails on the vessel stranded off the coast of Cape Verde.
In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the luxury adventure ship MV Hondius is shaken by a "mouse virus" (Hantavirus) outbreak that rivals a horror movie script.
The latest images from the ship stranded off Cape Verde reveal the severity of the situation with empty decks, masked passengers, and hazmat health teams boarding the vessel. So far, three people have died on the ship, and dozens more await rescue in their cabins.
Luxury Liner Turned Ghost ShipThe Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, carrying 149 passengers and crew, is stranded at Praia Port after local authorities denied docking permission on the grounds of "protecting national public health."
Chilling videos obtained by AP show restaurants and lounges once filled with laughter now plunged into deep silence. Under strict quarantine rules, only a few silhouettes in medical masks wander the empty corridors like ghosts.
Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions announced they have maximized isolation measures and medical monitoring protocols. However, the panic on board has not dissipated.
In particular, the possibility that passengers who shared a flight with an infected woman could become "super spreaders" has raised concerns to a global level.
Hantavirus Threat: Is it Transmitted from Human to Human?
Although Hantavirus, normally transmitted through rodent urine, feces, or saliva, is not known to spread from human to human, World Health Organization (WHO) experts are divided on this case.
WHO has issued serious warnings that the spread on the luxury ship may have occurred among passengers. Experts worry that the virus may have mutated. Symptoms of Hantavirus can appear 2 to 8 weeks after exposure.
This means new cases could erupt on the ship in the coming days. The disease, starting with fatigue, fever, and severe muscle pain, can quickly lead to fatal respiratory failure.
Diplomatic Crisis Between Spain and the Canary IslandsThe ship has now changed course to Europe, heading for Spain's Canary Islands. However, this has brought significant political tension. Canary Islands leader Fernando Clavijo strongly opposes the ship docking on his territory, citing an inability to "guarantee public safety."
Clavijo criticized the central government, saying, "I cannot accept this decision not based on technical criteria."Meanwhile, the Spanish Ministry of Health signaled they might accept the ship on grounds of "humanitarian principles and international law."
It is reported that Spanish citizens are among those on board, and the nearest fully equipped hospitals are in Tenerife.
Evacuation Operations Begin: Passengers in Critical ConditionSo far, only a limited number of evacuations have been carried out from the ship.
Some patients, including a British crew member believed to be the ship's doctor, were airlifted to the Netherlands and Switzerland.
A British citizen is known to be fighting for life in intensive care in South Africa. WHO has confirmed 7 confirmed Hantavirus cases (including 3 deaths) on the ship so far.
149 people from 23 different countries continue their wait in uncertainty in the middle of the Atlantic. While evacuation plans have not yet been clarified, the ship is expected to reach Santa Cruz Port in Tenerife within a few days.