A British repatriation flight carrying passengers from the virus-hit cruise ship has taken off from Tenerife South Airport and is now en route to the UK, as a major international evacuation operation continues under strict health controls. The aircraft, carrying 20 British nationals, departed slightly behind schedule on Sunday and is understood to have flown over the quarantined MV Hondius during its return journey, Sky News reports. The vessel has been at the centre of a major outbreak response involving the rare Hantavirus.

Passengers on board are being transported under strict infection control measures. Once the flight lands in the UK, the group will be transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital, a designated managed clinical facility. The site, previously used during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, will host passengers for initial medical assessment and testing.

According to official plans, the travellers will remain at the facility for 72 hours under observation before being instructed to complete a further 45-day isolation period as a precautionary measure.

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Throughout Sunday, a coordinated multinational evacuation effort has seen a series of repatriation flights departing Tenerife. In total, seven flights have already taken off carrying passengers of different nationalities: Spain (14 passengers), France (5), Canada (4), the Netherlands (26), the UK (20), Ireland (2) and Turkey (3).

Three further flights are still expected to depart later, including those bound for the United States, Australia and an additional service to the Netherlands. Officials have confirmed that not all passengers allocated to national flights are necessarily citizens of those countries.

Reporting from Tenerife, Sky News correspondent Sadiya Chowdhury described a sense of "huge relief" among the evacuated British passengers as they finally boarded their flight home after days of uncertainty.

She said that the multinational response had been carefully planned and executed, with health and aviation authorities working to ensure safe transport conditions for all those involved.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation aboard the quarantined cruise ship, and evacuation is ongoing.