Masks worn when evacuees land safely
Wearing medical masks and carrying backpacks or large white plastic bags, passengers disembarked from the plane in small groups after a flight that lasted just over three and a half hours.
Escorted by airport staff, they entered a military terminal, with some waving to cameras and taking photos and selfies as they exited the plane. No one asked for help to get to the terminal.
Quarantine measures in force
Authorities confirmed that all passengers will be quarantined for about six weeks.
Dutch residents will complete home isolation, while citizens of other countries will be sent to designated quarantine facilities, the foreign ministry said.
Many nationalities on board
Spanish civil defense chief Virginia Barcones said the passengers also included Belgian, Greek, German, Guatemalan and Argentine nationals.
A number of German ambulances were seen arriving at the airport shortly after the plane landed.
Health scare linked to cruise ship explosion
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius has been at the center of a global health alert after three passengers died during a hantavirus outbreak.
Two evacuees who arrived in the Netherlands last week are being treated in separate hospitals. Both tested positive for the virus and are reported to be in stable condition.
The risk of the virus is considered low
Hantavirus has no vaccine or specific treatment and is endemic in Argentina, where the ship departed in April.
However, health officials have emphasized that the risk to global public health remains low and have dismissed comparisons with the Covid-19 pandemic.
After all passengers are evacuated, the ship will sail with a skeleton crew to the Dutch port of Rotterdam, according to operator Oceanwide Expeditions.
