Spain today began the process of removing passengers from the cruise ship where an outbreak of hantavirus has appeared and is anchored near Tenerife, with health officials boarding the ship to carry out final checks and begin the disembarkation process, the Spanish health ministry said.

The first group of passengers, who are Spanish, will be taken to the coast in small boats and then by bus to the local airport to fly to Madrid on a Spanish government aircraft, government officials said, stressing that they would have no contact with other persons.

Spain’s Health Minister says the evacuation of passengers from the cruise ship will last until tomorrow afternoon

The process of evacuating passengers from the cruise ship, on which an outbreak of hantavirus has occurred and which is anchored near Tenerife, is expected to begin soon and will last until tomorrow, Monday afternoon local time, Spain’s Health Minister said today.

The Spaniards will be the first to disembark, as planned, followed by passengers from the Netherlands, whose plane will also carry passengers from Germany, Belgium and Greece, Reuters reported.