🛑 PANIC ONBOARD: INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR ANSWERS AFTER DEADLY CRUISE SHIP INCIDENT Passengers aboard the MV Hondius expected an unforgettable adventure — but the journey reportedly took a frightening turn when multiple people suddenly became ill. Emergency medical teams were deployed as concern spread throughout the vessel, and investigators are now examining whether a rare virus may have been involved. Video from inside the ship is raising new questions about the timeline of the outbreak and what passengers experienced in those critical hours. How did this begin… and could others have been exposed? 👇 Watch the footage and read the full update
“HORRIFYING FOOTAGE OF DEADLY CRUISE SHIP OUTBREAK LEAVES 3 DEAD AND OTHERS FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES — THIS IS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!” In a chilling turn of events, 3 passengers have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The horrifying footage from the ship reveals moments of panic and fear as passengers suddenly fall ill and are rushed to medical care. What was supposed to be an exciting journey turned into a nightmarish scene as health officials scramble to contain the outbreak. With one victim still in critical condition and more passengers showing signs of the virus, the world is on edge. The World Health Organization has stepped in, but the question remains: How did this rare and deadly virus make its way onto the ship? And how far could it spread?
Three cruise passengers are dead, and a fourth is fighting for their life after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the ship MV Hondius on a trip along the coast of Africa, according to reports.
One case of hantavirus was confirmed in the first victim, with five other suspected cases still pending, the World Health Organization told Agence France-Presse on Sunday.
The outbreak was reported aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship during its journey between Argentina and Cape Verde.AFP via Getty Images
The first victim, a 70-year-old man, suffered a fatal hemorrhagic fever on board the ship. His 69-year-old wife died not long after at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, the outlet reported.
The third fatality was also on board the ship, the outlet reported.
A 69-year-old British passenger is now in intensive care at the Johannesburg hospital, the BBC reported.
The outbreak was first reported during Hondius’ journey between Argentina and Cape Verde. The ship is operated by the Dutch tour company Oceanwide Expeditions.
Hantavirus is a disease commonly contracted through infected rodents’ urine, feces and saliva. In rare cases, it can spread between people.
There is no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus, but early medical intervention can increase the chances of survival.
The MV Hondius departed from Argentina on March 20 and was expected to complete its trip in Cape Verde on May 4, according to the cruise itinerary.
The 353-foot polar cruise ship can fit 170 people in its 80 cabins.
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One anonymous source told AFP that the third victim died on Sunday and their body was still on the ship. The WHO said it is working on medically evacuating the two remaining symptomatic passengers and conducting a full public health risk assessment for those still on board.
One source told the AFP that there were discussions about placing the two sick passengers in isolation at a hospital in Cape Verde before disembarking to Spain’s Canary Island.
Oceanwide Expeditions said that it is in the process of repatriating the symptomatic passengers, the third deceased passenger, and a friend of the victim from Cape Verde to the Netherlands.
The MV Hondius is just the latest recreational cruise ship to be hit with a devastating outbreak.
In early March, norovirus swept through a Star Princess cruise ship during a Caribbean voyage, sickening 104 passengers and 49 crew members.
Hantavirus, though, is a completely different beast with an estimated 35% mortality rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Legendary actor Gene Hackman, stricken by Alzheimer’s, died alone after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to hantavirus in their rat-infested Santa Fe home in February 2025.
