The first group of passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship, MV Hondius, have begun disembarking into small boats and will be taken to a hospital in Madrid for further medical checkups.
According to Spain's Health Ministry, the cruise ship cleared all appropriate health checks before being anchored near Tenerife on Sunday.
Health officials found 140 people on board to be asymptomatic, and the hygiene and environmental conditions on the ship are reported to be appropriate, with no detection of rodents.
Passengers will be taken to the local airport, board a Spanish military plane, and have no contact with the public.
Following the Spanish group, passengers from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, France, the UK, and the US will be evacuated in separate flights.
The final flight will be from Australia, picking up six people from Australia, New Zealand, and other Asian countries.
Thirty crew members will remain on board and sail to the Netherlands, where the ship will be disinfected.
