A team of specialized soldiers from the British Army has skydived onto Tristan da Cunha, responding to a suspected hantavirus case involving a British individual from the ill-fated MV Hondius on the isolated island.
Consisting of six paratroopers and two military healthcare providers, the group was deployed via an RAF A400M aircraft, along with essential supplies and medical assistance, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The MV Hondius recently docked in Tenerife, where preparations are in progress for the evacuation of all passengers and some crew members. Port authorities in Granadilla are making arrangements to repatriate over 100 individuals.
In a separate development, Leo Schilperoord, a 70-year-old Dutch birdwatcher who had visited a landfill in Argentina, has been identified as the index case in the fatal hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship. Tragically, he, his wife, and another German passenger have succumbed to the illness.
Following health screenings by Spanish authorities, asymptomatic passengers will be ferried ashore in small vessels. They will then be transported by sealed buses to Tenerife South Airport for flights back to their respective countries.
The MV Hondius is scheduled to proceed to the Netherlands with a reduced crew of 30 for disinfection procedures.
Recent images show supplies being unloaded on the MV Hondius at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife, where the vessel is currently stationed for passenger and crew evacuation.
On another note, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a single suspected case of Hantavirus involving a British citizen on Tristan da Cunha, prompting the military response.
