Evacuation of passengers from hantavirus-stricken cruise ship begins in Tenerife

The cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak arrived early Sunday off the Spanish island of Tenerife, where the process of sending most passengers back to their home countries will get underway.

TENERIFE, Spain — Passengers started evacuating the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak on Sunday shortly after the vessel arrived off the Spanish island of Tenerife, beginning the process of sending them back to their home countries.

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The first group of passengers, wearing face masks and head-to-toe personal protective equipment, were kept strictly secluded from members of the public as a small boat brought them ashore.

A medical tent was set up ready to receive passengers across what is expected to be a two-day operation at the island’s Granadilla port, with buses on hand to take them to the airport, where countries have arranged special flights to take them home.