Three Dead, Three Evacuated from Hantavirus-Hit Expedition Ship as It Sails Toward Canary Islands

A Dutch-owned expedition ship, operating at about half capacity, has left the waters off Cape Verde after three passengers died and others fell ill in a suspected hantavirus outbreak. Three people have now been medically evacuated, and the vessel is sailing toward Spain’s Canary Islands.

Reports on this story have been flooding social media and news outlets, and while the cruise line in question isn’t one we typically cover, it’s important that cruisers know what’s actually going on.

MV Hondius is a 170-passenger Polar Class 6 expedition ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, which is headquartered in the Netherlands.

The 6,000-gross-ton ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, for what was scheduled to be a multi-week sailing across the Atlantic.

The voyage included stops in Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and other South Atlantic islands before its scheduled arrival in Praia, Cape Verde.

But instead of a normal end to the cruise, the ship remained anchored in open waters near Praia for several days. Cape Verde authorities refused docking as a precautionary measure to protect the local population under international health regulations. This is not uncommon. We saw similar situations during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to news outlets, three individuals have now been medically evacuated, and the ship has departed Cape Verde, heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands. Plans for disembarkation, screening, and quarantine remain in flux amid regional opposition.

Current Situation (Updated May 6, 2026)

• Medical Evacuations Completed: Three individuals were evacuated from the ship on May 6 via medical flights. This includes two crew members with acute symptoms (one British and one Dutch) and one German guest who had been in close contact with a deceased passenger. They are receiving urgent care, with transfers coordinated to the Netherlands (and one diversion involving the Canary Islands). Al Jazeera / BBC
• Repositioning Plans Uncertain: The Spanish central government has agreed for Hondius to sail to the Canary Islands (likely Tenerife) for screening, quarantine, and disembarkation after a roughly three-day transit. However, the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has strongly opposed the docking, stating there isn’t enough information to guarantee public safety. The situation is still developing.
• Three Confirmed Deaths: A Dutch husband and wife, plus a German national. The first victim passed away on April 11, his wife on April 26, and the third on board on May 2.
• Case Update: The World Health Organization has linked around eight cases to the ship (including laboratory-confirmed Andes strain hantavirus and suspected cases). This includes one British passenger in intensive care in Johannesburg, a confirmed case in a previously disembarked passenger in Switzerland, and no widespread new symptomatic cases reported in the last day on board.

Understanding the Hantavirus Risk

Hantavirus is a rare, rodent-borne virus typically spread through contact with infected urine, droppings, or saliva. It causes severe respiratory problems and is not usually transmitted between people.

However, the WHO has noted they cannot rule out limited human-to-human transmission in this case due to the confirmed Andes virus strain, which has shown this capability in the past. The risk to the general public remains very low. Exposure most likely occurred during shore excursions earlier in the voyage, given the virus’s long incubation period.

Oceanwide Expeditions reports that passengers and crew are calm and cooperating fully with strict isolation measures, including cabin-only lockdown and maximal physical distancing, while deep cleaning continues. The company is working closely with Dutch authorities, the WHO, and RIVM for the safe return of all on board.

A Half-Full Ship

Hondius, built in 2019, is a modern ice-strengthened vessel designed for small-group expeditions. This sailing carried roughly 88 passengers out of a possible 170, for a total of about 149-150 people on board. The lower occupancy has aided isolation and response efforts.

This remains an extremely rare incident as hantavirus outbreaks on ships are highly unusual. The story continues to develop rapidly as authorities manage testing, contact tracing, and negotiations over the ship’s next port of call. The vessel is now en route toward the Canary Islands.

Cruise Fever will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as this story develops.