Chilling Photos Show Suspected Hantavirus Patient Being Evacuated from Deadly MV Hondius Cruise Ship — After Illness Killed Three Onboard
A suspected hantavirus patient was taken off the ship in eerie photos.
May 6 2026, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Eerie photos show a suspected hantavirus patient being evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship, RadarOnline.com can reveal, in the latest update to the luxury vessel marooned off West Africa, which still has over 100 people trapped aboard.
Three people have died so far on the horrifying vacation ship, as many of its guests remain stranded after the cruise was refused permission to dock in the West African island nation of Cape Verde.
Suspected Hantavirus Patient Evacuated
New photos show a suspected hantavirus patient being evacuated off the ship.
In the new photos, posted by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, on Wednesday, May 6, the patient is seen being hauled off the stricken ship in a hazmat suit on a gurney.
"Three suspected #hantavirus case patients have just been evacuated from the ship and are on their way to receive medical care in the Netherlands in coordination with @WHO, the ship’s operator and national authorities from Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands," Dr. Ghebreyesus updated.
The photos show one of the patients in full protective gear on a gurney, as the unknown person was taken off an ambulance and escorted to a waiting jet.
Dr. Ghebreyesus added, "WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed."
'The Overall Public Health Risk Remains Low'
The patient was escorted to a waiting jet.
"Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated in collaboration with the ship's operators and national health authorities," he continued. Despite the terrifying situation, the doctor made clear, "the overall public health risk remains low."
According to officials, the three patients suspected to be infected with the virus include a British national, a German national, and a Dutch national. Officials noted that one of the patients is the ship's doctor, who was previously in "serious condition" but has since improved.
The update comes after the outbreak appeared to spread to Europe after a passenger, who had already left the ship, tested positive upon returning home.
The World Health Organization noted the man tested positive at a Zurich hospital. But local health authorities still noted, "there is currently no risk to the Swiss public."
Stranded Passenger Speaks Out
Stranded passenger Jake Rosmarin give an update from the ship.
The MV Hondius is believed to be carrying passengers from 23 different countries, including 17 Americans. One of those Americans, a man named Jake Rosmarin, gave people a close look at the situation on board.
He said, "We're not just headlines: we're people with families, with lives; with people waiting for us at home. There is a lot of uncertainty, and that is the hardest part."
In the emotional account, Rosmarin added, "All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home... I just ask for your kindness and understanding."
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Rosmarin also shared the latest update.
The hantavirus, which can cause fatal respiratory illness, can be spread when particles from rodent droppings or urine become airborne. It does not transfer easily between humans.
"You could imagine, for example, that rats on board the ship transmitted the virus," an official with the Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment explained. "But another possibility is that during a stop somewhere in South America, people were infected, for instance via mice, and became ill that way."
In severe cases, patients could be put on ventilators.
