Passengers and crew on a cruise ship affected by hantavirus are being evacuated in a phased operation from the Canary Islands, according to multiple reports. The ship is docked in the region while authorities arrange repatriation flights for passengers, including Australians who are among those scheduled to leave later than others.
Free Malaysia Today reports that the evacuation begins and focuses on getting nearly all of the ship’s passengers and crew off the vessel. It says the final flight—intended to evacuate most of the ship’s nearly 150 people—departs for Australia on Monday. After the Australia-bound repatriation is completed, the ship is reported to continue to the Netherlands.
The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Brisbane Times similarly describe that Australian passengers are expected to be among the last to leave. Each report references an en route repatriation flight and the broader plan for evacuation while the ship remains in the Canary Islands for the duration of the process.
