Inside major evacuation mission which rescued passengers from hantavirus cruise ship

This is the moment hundreds of health personnel kitted out in personal protective gear descended upon the hantavirus-riddled MV Hondius cruise ship.

The footage was obtained from the Spanish Civil Guard on May 10, filmed in the town of Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife.

The video shows coaches arriving at the port while personnel wearing hazmat gear are seen working the scene.

Police vehicles, helicopters and maritime units also took part in the operation around the harbour.

The Spanish Civil Guard said in a statement: ‘The Civil Guard has participated in the transfer of the occupants of the MV Hondius from the port of Granadilla de Abona to Tenerife South Airport.

‘The operation has involved more than 300 personnel, including air resources, several vessels from the maritime service, NRBQ [Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical] specialists, GRS [Civil Guard Reserve and Security Group], and citizen security units.’

The cruise ship MV Hondius has made headlines in recent weeks following an outbreak of hantavirus, killing three.

British passengers on the ship were flown into Manchester Airport on a chartered flight from Tenerife after the HV Hondius docked there on Sunday morning.

Some 22 UK residents were among those evacuated from the vessel. They have since been taken to Arrowe Park Hospital.

They were photographed arriving by coach at the medical facility in Wirral, with the driver seen wearing a face mask and a clear face shield. All of them have tested negative for hantavirus.

They will now isolate for 72 hours in a dedicated accommodation block to determine if they can complete a 45-day isolation at home.

Janelle Holmes, CEO of Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust, said the passengers will be able to phone their friends and family.

She told the BBC: ‘What we’ve learnt from past experience is they’re going to be absolutely shattered.

‘They’ve probably felt quite traumatised by the whole experience, so the thing for us to do is to make sure that they’re here, they’re safe, they’re welcome.’

Hantaviruses are potentially fatal diseases carried by rodents. Humans can contract the disease through contact with infected animals or their droppings, according to health authorities.

The Ministry of Defence says that the risk to the public remains very low.

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