Australia Sends Charter Plane to Rescue Citizens from Virus-Stricken Cruise Ship

Australia is bringing five of its nationals home from a luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, chartering a flight that’s set to land in Perth on Tuesday. The MV Hondius, carrying 146 passengers and crew, docked at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday after three people died and eight others fell ill. Everyone on board has been confined to their cabins to contain the virus.

A government spokesperson confirmed that the group of five—four Australians and one permanent resident—will fly from Tenerife at 5 p.m. local time Monday, accompanied by medical staff who will monitor them. A New Zealand citizen will also be on the plane. The Australians live in New South Wales and Queensland, and authorities are finalizing quarantine plans, which will be handled by state health departments.

“Our top priority is the safety of passengers and the Australian community,” the spokesperson said, adding that the government is coordinating with states on arrival, health, and transport. Evacuees will be moved directly from the charter flight to quarantine facilities, avoiding contact with the public.

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt called it a “terrible situation” for the travelers and stressed that proper quarantine would be in place. “This isn’t something people walked into deliberately. Australians want to see each other looked after,” he told ABC News.

Hantavirus, spread by rodents, can cause severe illness or death in humans, usually through contact with infected urine, droppings, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is rare and requires close, prolonged contact. The World Health Organization says the global threat remains low, and Australia’s Centre for Disease Control notes the risk of a widespread outbreak is very limited.