Last evacuation flights from hantavirus ship land in Netherlands

Posted 3 hours ago by

Jamaica Observer

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AFP)—The last two evacuation planes carrying passengers and crew from the hantavirus-hit ship MV Hondius landed in the Netherlands on Tuesday, according to an AFP journalist.Travelling in the two planes were 28 evacuees from the ship, according to the Dutch foreign ministry, including passengers, crew, and medical staff.The first plane to land was transporting six former guests of the Hondius, four from Australia, one from New Zealand, and one British person who lives in Australia.These six are expected to stay in a quarantine facility close to the airport before being repatriated towards Australia.Wearing white medical overalls and facemasks, they disembarked from the air ambulance, clutching white bags of their belongings, and walked into the terminal.The other plane was carrying 19 crew members, one British doctor and two epidemiologists (one from the World Health Organization and one from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control).These crew members disembarked without medical gear but still wearing masks, also carrying large white sacks of their belongings.The Hondius is already steaming its way from Tenerife to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where it will dock for disinfection.Still onboard are 25 crew and two medical staff, operator Oceanwide Expeditions said on Monday.The vessel is also carrying the body of a German passenger who died during the voyage.