Passengers trapped aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius off Cape Verde are pleading for clear information and a safe route home, as the vessel remains under quarantine following a deadly suspected hantavirus outbreak.

The Dutch-operated ship, run by Oceanwide Expeditions, has been held at anchor after three passengers died and several others fell seriously ill during a voyage that included stops in West Africa. Health authorities suspect hantavirus, a rare but potentially fatal disease usually linked to exposure to infected rodent droppings. Samples have been sent to specialist laboratories, including teams in South Africa, for confirmation and genetic sequencing.

From inside his cabin, passenger Jake Rosmarin described a mood swinging between anxiety and exhaustion as days of isolation stretch on. He said those on board feel reduced to statistics in a distant drama, even as they live through it in real time.

“We’re not just a story, we’re not headlines, we are people — people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home,” Rosmarin said in a recorded message. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home.”

Cabin confinement has become the norm, with meals left at doors and common areas sealed off. Medical staff are monitoring passengers and crew, separating suspected cases and arranging emergency evacuations for the most critical patients to onshore hospitals. Authorities have ordered the ship to maintain strict infection-control measures while they assess the risk of further spread.

Officials in Cape Verde, the Netherlands and Spain are coordinating with international health agencies on the next steps. Plans under discussion include allowing the Hondius to sail under controlled conditions to the Canary Islands, where better-equipped facilities could receive remaining patients and process disembarkation.

On board, the lack of a firm timeline is taking a toll. Some passengers spend hours refreshing news sites, trying to piece together developments that have not yet been communicated formally. Others focus on small routines to keep anxiety at bay: reading, stretching in cramped cabins, or standing at portholes to watch the lights of Cape Verde flicker in the distance.

“If you’re seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it,” Rosmarin said. “For now, I just ask for your kindness.”