The hantavirus-stricken HV Hondius finally anchored in Spain on Sunday morning after the outbreak on the ship left three travelers dead and sparked major global concern over the possibility of a wider spread of the rodent-borne illness.
The plagued ship from the Netherlands reached Tenerife, which is the biggest island of the Canary Islands, at about 6:30 am local time, as more than 140 passengers and crew members were seen disembarking from this mega vessel.
Every passenger remained asymptomatic, as confirmed by Spain's health minister during a press conference today.
The whole operation is now proceeding at a normal pace. Spanish passengers included 13 vacationers and one crew member. They were the first to leave the ship in a small boat at about 9:30 am.
The passengers were seen donning blue gowns with surgical caps and white masks and carrying their belongings inside plastic bags as hazmat-suited emergency crews escorted them by bus.