Two Indian crew members are among the 149 people aboard the luxury expedition vessel MV Hondius, which has become the centre of an international health emergency after a rare and highly dangerous hantavirus outbreak left three passengers dead and infected at least eight others while the ship remained stranded in the Atlantic Ocean.
The outbreak aboard the Dutch-operated expedition ship has triggered concern among international health authorities, with officials now racing to monitor passengers, trace contacts across multiple countries, and prevent further spread of the virus. The situation has drawn global attention because the strain involved, known as the Andes strain of hantavirus, is among the rarest and most lethal viral infections affecting humans.
India Today TV contacted Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch polar travel company operating the MV Hondius, seeking complete details on the nationality and backgrounds of passengers and crew on board the vessel. In a response sent on May 4, the company provided, for the first time, a detailed nationality-wise breakdown of everyone present aboard the ship.
According to the company, the ship was carrying 149 passengers and crew members representing 23 different nationalities. Most of the passengers were tourists from countries including Great Britain, the United States, Germany, and Spain. Among the crew members were personnel from the Philippines, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Poland, and India.
The disclosure confirmed that two Indian nationals were serving as crew members aboard the ship. However, no further details regarding the Indian crew members were made public. Their identities, job roles, health conditions, and possible exposure to infected passengers remain undisclosed. Oceanwide Expeditions stated that additional information would only be shared after verification by relevant authorities.
The virus involved in the outbreak is hantavirus, specifically the Andes strain, which is considered particularly dangerous because it has limited capacity for human-to-human transmission. Unlike airborne viruses that spread easily through casual contact, the Andes strain is believed to spread mainly through very close personal interaction, such as prolonged contact between spouses, cabin mates, or healthcare workers caring for infected individuals without proper protective equipment.
The outbreak reportedly began during a birdwatching excursion near Ushuaia, often referred to as the southernmost city in the world. Argentine investigators believe that a Dutch couple participating in the excursion may have inhaled microscopic particles contaminated with infected rodent droppings. At the time, the couple reportedly showed no symptoms and later boarded the MV Hondius without realising they had potentially been exposed to the virus.
The MV Hondius had departed from the southern tip of Argentina on April 1 for an expedition voyage carrying tourists and crew members from around the world. Somewhere during the journey, authorities believe the deadly virus was introduced aboard the vessel.
The first fatality occurred on April 11, when a passenger died on board the ship. At the time, the exact cause of death could not be determined due to limited onboard medical capabilities. On April 24, the deceased passenger’s body was disembarked on Saint Helena, accompanied by his wife during repatriation arrangements.
However, tragedy struck again when Oceanwide Expeditions was informed on April 27 that the wife had fallen ill during her return journey and later died. Both victims were Dutch nationals.
On the same day, another passenger aboard the ship became critically ill and had to be medically evacuated to Johannesburg in South Africa. The patient was admitted to an intensive care unit and remains in critical but stable condition. Medical tests later confirmed the presence of a hantavirus variant in this individual.
A third death was reported on May 2, when a German passenger died aboard the ship. By that point, the seriousness of the outbreak had escalated significantly, prompting intervention from the World Health Organisation. Health authorities ordered the ship to stop at Cape Verde while emergency measures were initiated.
The vessel has since departed Cape Verde and is currently heading toward Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. Three critically ill patients have reportedly been evacuated by air ambulance, while the remaining passengers are expected to disembark on May 11.
Meanwhile, health authorities across Europe are conducting extensive contact tracing after discovering that more than 80 passengers had shared a commercial flight with one of the infected individuals before the virus was diagnosed.
Speaking about the nature of transmission, Maria Van Kerkhove explained that hantavirus transmission requires extremely close physical contact, such as sharing sleeping quarters or providing direct medical care without protection. According to officials, only eight people became infected despite 149 individuals living together on the ship for weeks, suggesting the broader public risk remains relatively low.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed on May 6 that the overall public health threat posed by the outbreak remains limited. However, he warned that authorities remain concerned because the incubation period of the virus can stretch up to six weeks, meaning additional infections could emerge long after passengers have returned to their home countries.
Hantavirus naturally exists in rodents such as rats, mice, and voles, which carry the virus without becoming ill themselves. Humans can become infected when rodent urine or droppings dry out and turn into contaminated airborne particles that are inhaled. Direct contact with rodents is not necessary for transmission.
In Asia and Europe, including India, hantavirus infections generally affect the kidneys and are considered serious but often survivable. However, the Andes strain circulating in the Americas primarily attacks the lungs and respiratory system. In severe cases, fatality rates can reach nearly 50 per cent.
Doctors explain that the illness initially resembles common viral infections such as flu, dengue, or leptospirosis. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, nausea, and weakness. However, in severe cases, patients can rapidly deteriorate within days as fluid accumulates in the lungs, leading to breathing failure, shock, and critical respiratory distress requiring intensive care.
The absence of a vaccine or specific antiviral treatment makes the disease especially dangerous. Medical experts say the only effective response is rapid supportive care involving oxygen therapy, fluids, intensive monitoring, and immediate hospitalisation.
The outbreak has also renewed attention toward India’s own experience with hantavirus. In 2008, a study conducted in Tamil Nadu confirmed 28 hantavirus infections among warehouse workers, farmers, and tribal rodent catchers. Another case involving a quarry worker was reported in 2021. Public health experts believe the virus may often go undiagnosed in India because its symptoms closely resemble those of other tropical diseases.
At present, no official information has been released regarding whether the two Indian crew members aboard the MV Hondius have been screened, isolated, or exposed to infected passengers. Their current condition remains unknown.
The MV Hondius is expected to dock in Tenerife within the next few days, where passengers will undergo medical assessment, the ship will reportedly be disinfected, and authorities will continue extensive contact tracing efforts.
The outbreak has become a stark reminder that deadly pathogens can travel silently across borders through ordinary human activity, from a forest trail contaminated with rodent droppings to a luxury expedition ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
