The captain of the stricken vessel hit by a Hantavirus outbreak that claimed three lives has spoken out to commend his passengers and crew for their "kindness and courage".

Captain of MV Hondius, Jan Dobrogowski, in a video released by Oceanwide Expeditions, said: "Dear guests, dear crew, dear family members back at home...I have decided to take this time to thank every single guest and crew member on board here. As well as our colleagues back home. The past few weeks have been extremely challenging for us all, as I'm sure you know.

"What touched me the most, what moved me the most was your patience, your discipline and also your kindness, your kindness you showed to each other throughout.

"To see people depend on each other..when there is no readily available risk services standing by to come to your help...I have witnessed your caring, your unity and quiet strength amongst everyone on board, guests and crew alike."

Three individuals have perished following the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde. Two British nationals are receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa. Two additional passengers, who departed the voyage prematurely, are self-isolating at home.

Most variants of hantavirus, a collection of viruses transmitted by rodents, do not spread between humans, but the Andes strain detected in several of the cases from the Dutch cruise liner does. The Dutch captain continued: "I must commend my crew for their courage and their selfless resolve that they showed time and again in the most difficult moments. I could not imagine sailing through these circumstances with a better group of people, guests and crew alike.

"Most importantly; our thoughts are with the ones no longer with us and whatever I say will not ease this loss but I'd like you to know they are with us every day in our hearts and our thoughts.

"...As a Captain of Hondius my job is to lead my crew, take care of my guests and to see this ship safely to port. Our responsibility does not end there ,it does not end with our arrival at the Canaries. So, we have all been part of this voyage and I wish nothing more to everybody, guests and crew alike, to be able to go home safely and in good health..."

He subsequently requested privacy for both crew members and passengers, before stating: "We've sailed through this together across the sea - now we hope to see everybody safely at home.."

One passenger, Melike Guner, left a message beneath the captain's video on Instagram: "As one of the passengers who disembarked yesterday, I would like to sincerely thank our captain first and foremost, along with every single member of the crew on board.

"We all witnessed that they did far more than anyone could have expected, giving their absolute best throughout this difficult time. I am truly grateful and deeply thankful to all of them." Last week, a passenger shared footage of the Captain as he announced the first fatality aboard the vessel. Notably, the announcement came before a single positive test for the virus had been confirmed.

He told them: "It is my sad duty to inform you that one of the passengers sadly passed away last night. Tragic as it is, it is due to natural causes I believe ... I am told by the doctor it is not infectious."

A close friend of the Captain, Rafal Klepacz, praised Dobrogowski's leadership, describing him as the "ideal person to command during a crisis" and a "calm force".

He further underlined the immense isolation and burden of responsibility that accompanies commanding a vessel at sea, where every critical decision rests solely on the captain's shoulders.

Twenty British nationals have begun 45 days of self-isolation back in the UK following their evacuation from the ship.

The passengers, whom health officials warn could be 'traumatised', are isolating at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside, after their chartered flight from Tenerife touched down at Manchester Airport on Sunday.

They were transported under police escort in two white coaches to a block of self-contained flats within the hospital grounds, with access to phones to keep in touch with loved ones. None are reported to be displaying symptoms as yet.

Health officials convened a press conference regarding their arrival to allay public concerns, stating that the risk remained "very low' as Hantavirus is " as Hantavirus is "not like Covid or flu". The passengers will remain in the six-storey block of flats for 72 hours, before being required to self-isolate for a further 42 days at home.

Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) told the BBC that all of the evacuees are "healthy and asymptomatic". However, he added they "may need to update" the period of isolation "depending on what the science tells us".

Janelle Holmes, CEO of Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust, confirmed the former passengers will be screened and continuously monitored. She revealed a specialist team will be present throughout their quarantine to provide support, along with regular "welfare checks".

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

Regarding the passengers, she said: "What we've learnt from past experience is they're going to be absolutely shattered. They've probably felt quite traumatised by the whole experience so the thing for us to do is to make sure that they're here, they're safe, they're welcome," she said.

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

A six-strong team of British Army paratroopers, accompanied by two medical clinicians, parachuted onto the island to bolster its two-person medical team in caring for the man and the island's wider population. The MoD has confirmed this marks the first occasion the UK military has deployed parachuted medical personnel for humanitarian support.

It is believed 'patient zero' for the Hantavirus outbreak aboard the vessel was Leo Schilperoord, a 70 year old Dutch national who visited a landfill site while birdwatching in the Argentine city of Ushuaia.

"It is common for birdwatchers to visit landfills because there are many birds there," Gaston Bretti, a photographer and local guide, told the Italian news agency Ansa Latina. " Gaston Bretti, a photographer and local guide, told the Italian news agency Ansa Latina. It's a mountain of waste that today far exceeds the limit initially established by the authorities."

The virus is transmitted through the inhalation of aerosolised particles found in rodent droppings and urine.

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

The couple embarked on the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1st, and six days into the voyage Leo fell ill, displaying symptoms including high fever, headaches, stomach pain and diarrhoea. His condition worsened quickly. He died aboard the vessel on April 11th.

On April 24th, during a planned stop at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, Mirjam disembarked with her husband's body.

She travelled to Johannesburg, South Africa, planning to board a KLM connection to the Netherlands, but airline personnel determined she was too unwell to fly. She collapsed at Johannesburg airport and died the next day.