MV Hondius captain breaks silence over ‘extremely challenging’ virus | UK | News

The captain of the ship affected by the Hantavirus epidemic, which caused the death of three people, praised his passengers and crew for their “kindness and courage”.

Jan Dobrogowski, captain of the MV Hondius, said in a video published by Oceanwide Expeditions: “Dear guests, dear crew, dear family members at home… I decided to take this time here to thank every single guest and crew member on board. Also our colleagues back home. The last few weeks, as you know, have been extremely challenging for all of us.”

“The thing that impressed me the most, the thing that touched me the most was your patience, your discipline, but also your kindness, the kindness you showed each other.

“Seeing people connected… Without risk services standing by to help… I witnessed your care, unity, and quiet strength among everyone on board, guests and crew.”

Three people died following the outbreak on the MV Hondius ship going from Argentina to Cape Verde. Two British citizens are receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa. Two more passengers who left the trip early are isolating themselves at home.

Most variants of hantavirus, a collection of viruses transmitted by rodents, do not spread among humans, but the Andean strain detected in many of the cases on the Dutch cruise ship does. The Dutch captain continued: “I must commend my crew for their courage and the selfless determination they have shown time and time again in the most difficult moments. I could not have imagined sailing with a better group of people, guests and crew under these conditions.”

“Most importantly, our thoughts are with those who are no longer with us, and nothing I say will ease this loss, but I want you to know that they are with us, in our hearts and in our thoughts every day.

“…As a Hondius Captain, my duty is to lead my crew, take care of my guests and ensure that this ship gets to port safely. Our responsibility does not end there, it does not end with our arrival in the Canaries. So we are all part of this journey and now I wish everyone, guests and crew, to return home safe and healthy…”

He later requested privacy for both crew and passengers, saying: “We got through this together at sea – now we hope to see everyone home safely.”

One of the passengers, Melike Güner, left the following message under the captain’s video on Instagram: “As one of the passengers who got off the plane yesterday, first of all, I would like to thank our captain and the entire crew on the ship wholeheartedly.

“We have all witnessed them doing the best they can, going above and beyond what anyone expected during this difficult time. I am truly grateful and deeply grateful to all of them.” Last week, a passenger shared footage of the Captain announcing the first death on the ship. Of note, the announcement was made before a single positive test for the virus was confirmed.

He told them: “It is my sad duty to inform you that one of the passengers sadly passed away last night. Although tragic, I believe it was due to natural causes… The doctor told me it was not contagious.”

Rafal Klepacz, a close friend of the captain, praised Dobrogowski’s leadership, describing him as “the ideal person to command during a crisis” and a “calm force”.

He also underlined the great isolation and burden of responsibility that comes with commanding a ship at sea, where any critical decisions rest solely on the captain’s shoulders.

Twenty British nationals began a 45-day self-isolation in the United Kingdom following their evacuation from the ship.

Passengers, who health officials warned they could be “traumatized”, are being kept in isolation at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside after their charter flight from Tenerife landed at Manchester Airport on Sunday.

Under police escort, they were transported in two white carriages to detached apartments on the hospital grounds, a block with telephone access so they could contact their loved ones. None have yet been reported showing symptoms.

Health officials held a press conference about their arrival to address public concerns, stating that Hantavirus is “not like Covid or flu”, so the risk remains “very low”. Travelers will stay in the six-storey apartment block for 72 hours before being required to self-isolate at home for a further 42 days.

Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), told the BBC that all those evacuated were “healthy and asymptomatic”. But he added that “they may need to update” the isolation period depending on what the science tells us.

Janelle Holmes, CEO of Wirral University Teaching Hospital Foundation, confirmed former passengers will be screened and continuously monitored. He explained that a specialist team would be on hand throughout the lockdown to provide support as well as regular “wellbeing checks”.

“This is an understood, known virus that can be managed appropriately. The risk is really low, you really have to have close contact, it’s not like Covid or the Flu.”

Regarding the passengers, he said: “What we’ve learned from past experience is that they’re going to be absolutely shattered. They’ve probably felt pretty traumatized by the whole experience, so what we need to do is make sure they’re here, that they’re safe, that they’re welcome.”

He also stated that if any passengers develop symptoms, they will be transferred to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, which hosts the regional Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit. Alongside the confirmed cases, two more suspected infections have emerged, including a British man stranded on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. He is in stable condition and is currently in isolation.

A six-man team of British Army paratroopers, accompanied by two medical clinicians, parachuted onto the island to support the two-man medical team in caring for the man and the island’s wider population. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that this was the first incident in which the UK military had deployed parachute medical personnel in humanitarian support.

‘Patient zero’ for the Hantavirus outbreak on board is believed to be 70-year-old Dutch national Leo Schilperoord, who visited a landfill while bird watching in Ushuaia, Argentina.

“It is common for bird watchers to visit landfills because there are a lot of birds there,” photographer and local guide Gaston Bretti told Italian news agency Ansa Latina. “Today this is a mountain of waste, far beyond the limit originally set by the authorities,” photographer and local guide Gaston Bretti told Italian news agency Ansa Latina.

The virus is transmitted through inhalation of aerosolized particles found in the feces and urine of rodents.

Mr Schilperoord and his wife Mirjam, 69, from the village of Haulerwijk, had traveled around South America for several months before boarding the ship. The couple visited Chile and Uruguay before returning to Argentina in late March 2026 to embark on an expedition aboard the MV Hondius.

The couple boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1, and on the sixth day of the voyage, Leo fell ill; showed symptoms such as high fever, headache, stomach ache and diarrhea. His condition deteriorated rapidly. He died on the ship on April 11.

During a planned stopover at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic on April 24, Mirjam came ashore with her husband’s body.

He traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, planning to take a KLM connection to the Netherlands, but airline staff decided he was too unwell to fly. He collapsed at Johannesburg airport and died the next day.