Spanish health officials board hantavirus-hit cruise ship to begin evacuation of passengers

​Spain has ​begun the evacuation ‌process of ​passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship anchored ‌near Tenerife on Sunday with health officials boarding the boat to conduct ‌a final check and begin disembarking ‌passengers, Spain's health ministry said.

The first group of passengers, who are Spanish ⁠nationals, will ​be ⁠taken back to shore on small ⁠boats and immediately transferred into sealed buses ​to the local airport where ⁠they will fly back to Madrid on ⁠a ​Spanish government plane, government officials said, emphasising they will have ⁠no contact with members of the public.