Canary Islands Refuses To Let Hantavirus-Hit MV Hondius Dock, WHO Says Spain Has a Legal Obligation

A tense humanitarian and legal standoff played out in the Atlantic this week as the President of Spain's Canary Islands refused to allow the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius to dock, prompting a sharp, very public rebuke from the World Health Organisation.

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said he "cannot allow MV Hondius to enter the Canaries," citing fears about public safety and the region's painful experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO fired back, stating that Spain has a "moral and legal obligation" to assist those on board, including several Spanish citizens.

There are 13 Spanish passengers and a crew member aboard the MV Hondius. The Spanish central government had already indicated the ship would be permitted to dock, putting the national government and its regional authority in direct conflict over a live international health emergency. 

The MV Hondius had been anchored off the coast of Cape Verde since Sunday, with roughly 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries stranded onboard. Cape Verde was considered unable to manage the scale of evacuation and medical response required. 

Three people, including the ship's own doctor, were medically evacuated while the vessel was near Cape Verde and flown to specialist hospitals in Europe for treatment. Medical teams in full hazmat gear were photographed escorting patients onto waiting ambulances at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam after their medevac flights landed.

Spain's Interior Ministry ultimately confirmed late on Wednesday that passenger disembarkation would begin in the Canary Islands from May 11, resolving the immediate standoff. WHO has been working closely with Spanish authorities to prepare safe, orderly, and dignified disembarkation protocols for the remaining passengers and crew.

The episode has opened a wider conversation about the responsibilities of port states under international health law. WHO has been coordinating the entire response under the International Health Regulations framework, which defines the rights and legal obligations of countries during cross-border public health events. WHO officials stressed that hantavirus does not spread through casual contact and does not pose a widespread transmission risk to port communities. Health experts say the refusal, while emotionally understandable given COVID-19 memories, was not supported by the scientific evidence available at the time.