Pakistan, May 10 -- Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands will send planes to evacuate their citizens from a cruise ship bound for Tenerife, which was hit by a deadly 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.

Earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief said he had arrived in Spain and would join government officials to oversee the disembarkation of a hantavirus-hit cruise ship in the Canary Islands.

"I arrived in Spain, where I will join senior government officials in a mission to Tenerife to oversee safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew members and health e...