Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands to send planes for passengers on hantavirus-hit cruise ship

MADRID, ​May 9 (Reuters) - Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands ​have ‌confirmed they will send planes to evacuate nationals ⁠from their respective countries aboard the ⁠Spain-bound cruise ship ​hit by a hantavirus outbreak, Spain's interior minister said in Madrid on Saturday.

The European Union is ​sending ‌two further planes for the remaining European citizens, Fernando Grande-Marlaska added. The U.S. and UK have also confirmed planes and contingency ​plans were being arranged for non-EU citizens whose ‌countries were unable to send air transport, he said.

Passengers will be ‌allowed to take essential belongings with them but the remaining luggage, as well as the body ​of the deceased passenger onboard, will remain on the ‌ship and be taken to the Netherlands where it will be disinfected, Garcia said.

Spanish citizens ⁠will disembark ⁠first, with the order ‌of evacuation of the remaining groups of citizens to be ​determined by ​health authorities. Citizens will not ‌be able to disembark until their evacuation plane is ready to depart, Grande-Marlaska added.