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Summary

Following the arrival of parts, tools, and specialist engineers on yesterday’s chartered flight we have begun shift working at the airport to return the fire tenders to full operational status. This may take a number of days, but the St Helena Government (SHG) remains focused on restoring the airport’s Category 6 status to allow commercial air services to resume as soon as possible.

Air Operations

SHG was able to utilise the seats on the outbound leg of yesterday’s charter flight to facilitate further overseas medical referrals to leave the island. Unfortunately, these passengers were delayed overnight at Lanseria airport when they were initially denied entry to South Africa by immigration officials. After considerable efforts by multiple parties, they were finally allowed to continue their journeys this morning.

A privately organised charter flight is expected to operate today. We are grateful to those who have commissioned this flight for the option to fill seats on the inbound leg of the journey, allowing us to repatriate a further 6 individuals. 

Flight Decision Update

Gold Command continues to closely monitor our progress towards restoring Category 6 status. As a result, we keep future flights under active review. While future bookings remain closed, we are only cancelling existing flights when we are certain they cannot operate. In some cases, this may require a late decision. We appreciate that this is inconvenient but thank you for your understanding – we do not want to cancel flights which we subsequently discover could have operated.

Community Engagement

Gold Commander Ian Todd OBE provided further details during local radio broadcasts today. You can listen to his interview here.

Ian also highlighted the dedication of the staff involved in the recovery efforts. Teams across several agencies have been working together, often around the clock, to restore the island’s air access.

Unfortunately, there have been some reported instances of abuse, particularly against airport staff. These are unacceptable and only undermine our ability to deliver a quick resolution. Now is the time for community cohesion and resilience.

Given the focus over the weekend is likely to be operational as the engineers work on the fire tenders, the next significant update is planned for Monday.

Updated Q&A

An updated Q&A can be accessed here.

Contacts:

Health Support: Jamestown Hospital at 22500.

#StHelena #AirAccess

www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

St Helena is likely to experience a north-westerly swell from Saturday, 14 February 2026, resulting in unsettling sea conditions in both James and Rupert’s Bay.

Boat owners are advised to ensure their vessels are securely moored during this period.

Swimmers should exercise extreme caution when entering the water in James and Rupert’s Bay and refrain from using life rings and other lifesaving equipment for recreational swimming.

Vehicle owners are advised to avoid parking near the rails on the seafront and individuals are asked to use caution when in close proximity to the railings due to the potential risk of wave overspray and associated hazards.

The Emergency Planning Department will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as necessary.

SHG

13 February 2026

Following a call for Expressions of Interest issued at the end of 2025, an independent Governance Commission has been appointed to review and assess the recommendations arising from the 2025 St Helena Governance Review Report.

The Commission comprises Janet Lawrence (Chairperson), together with Mark Brooks, Marcella Mittens, Andrew Pearce, and Councillor Julie Thomas as Members.

Purpose and Role of the Governance Commission

A comprehensive Governance Review was commissioned in 2024 to evaluate the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the Ministerial form of Government introduced in 2021. The findings of that review were published in the 2025 Governance Review Report, which contains 49 recommendations aimed at strengthening governance arrangements and improving outcomes for St Helena.

The Governance Commission has been established to independently review and assess each of these recommendations, considering their feasibility, relevance, and potential impact. Central to the Commission’s role is leading meaningful community and stakeholder consultation, ensuring that the public has a direct and informed opportunity to contribute to shaping how governance on St Helena should evolve.

The Commission will manage its own proceedings and operate independently in assessing the recommendations and gathering views on how they may best be implemented in the interests of the island now and into the future.

Progress to Date and Next Steps

Since its appointment, the Commission has held a series of preliminary meetings to familiarise itself with the report and to agree a structured and inclusive approach to its work. Initial discussions have taken place with the Attorney General to seek early legal and constitutional perspectives in relation to the recommendations and their respective responsibilities.

In the coming weeks, the Commission will meet with the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Head of the Public Service to better understand how the recommendations may affect their roles and the wider governance framework. Following this, the Commission intends to engage with the Legislative Council, as custodians of the Governance Review Report, to outline its proposed approach to public consultation, indicative timelines, and the process for reporting back.

Details of public meetings, engagement sessions, and methods for submitting feedback will be shared shortly.

Importance of Public Engagement

Public participation will be critical to ensuring that any changes to governance structures are well-informed, practical, and reflect the needs and aspirations of the St Helena community. The Commission strongly encourages individuals, organisations, and stakeholders to take part in the consultation process once it commences.

Further Information

St Helena Governance Review Report (June 2025):

https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/CoE-St-Helena-Governance-Review-Final-Report-June-2025-1.pdf

Governance Commission Terms of Reference:

https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/Governance-Commission-2025-Terms-of-Reference.pdf

Comment from the Chairperson

Chairperson of the Governance Commission, Janet Lawrence, said:

“The transition to a Ministerial form of Government in 2021 was a significant milestone for St Helena. This review process provides an important opportunity to reflect on how the system is working in practice and how it can be strengthened. Community feedback on the recommendations will be vital to ensuring that our governance arrangements continue to serve the best interests of the island, and we look forward to engaging openly with all stakeholders.”

The Governance Commission can be contacted directly at sthelena.grc@gmail.com.

#StHelena #GovernanceCommission

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Following the recent airport recategorisation, the St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to provide a positive update on the island’s air and sea access, as well as progress toward restoring full aviation services.

Arrival of Chartered Flight: Replacement Parts and Engineers

An SHG chartered flight arrived in St Helena this afternoon. This flight is instrumental in our recovery efforts, bringing the necessary spare parts, tools and oil in addition to two specialist engineers to begin immediate work on the airport’s fire tenders.

Repair work will now commence, with teams working additional shifts. However, repairs are complex and may still take a number of days. Once reassembled we will be able to test the tenders to ensure they meet the necessary criteria to return us to Category 6 capability.

We were able to utilise spare capacity on the aircraft to repatriate six people, including returning overseas medical referrals (OMRs) and critical employees. They were selected against clear prioritisation criteria. The outbound flight also enabled eight people to leave the island, with OMRs and other health concerns taking most of the seats.

Island Resilience

St Helena Island remains reliant upon sea freight as well as air services. The public should be reassured that after a period of excessive sea swell, the MV Karoline safely docked at Rupert’s this morning and has begun unloading cargo.

Tourism: Arrival of MV Azamara Journey

Yesterday, St Helena also welcomed the cruise ship MV Azamara Journey.

Cruise ship visits remain a regular and highly valued feature of our tourism calendar. Local tour operators and businesses were able to capitalise on the visit at a critical time, with over 200 passengers coming ashore.

Unfortunately, the ship was operating at full capacity and so was unable to offer any berths to those waiting to leave the island.

We remain focused on the full restoration of scheduled air services and thank the community for their continued patience, resilience, and support as we work toward this goal.

Updated Q&A

An updated Q&A can be accessed here.

Contacts:

#StHelena #AirAccess

www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

With the current challenges being faced by the St Helena Airport, it is an opportune time for cyber criminals to exploit the situation to attempt to steal your sensitive, personal information, with the ultimate goal of defrauding you out of your money. They could also attempt to affect your devices with malware such as a computer virus.

This could happen by them contacting you directly via phishing (scam) emails, text messages or phone calls. They could additionally create fake social media accounts that create fake announcements or posts on social media platforms, such as Facebook, which could then redirect you to a fake website if you click on them.

Before commenting or resharing, the public are asked to remain vigilant and remember to always check if any announcements or messages received about the airport or flights to and from St Helena, are from official sources, namely St Helena Government, Airlink or Solomon & Company (St Helena) Plc. This will reduce the risk of spreading misinformation. If you are suspicious of anything, contact the relevant organisation directly to verify authenticity.

Information regarding flight bookings, travel logistics, accommodation, and other travel related support is available from Solomons Travel Agency directly at 22523 or flights@solomons.co.sh.

Any immigration concerns can be directed to: cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.

For pharmacy assistance or general health related questions, please contact Jamestown Hospital at 22500 during normal opening hours.

These are some general ways to identify fraudulent emails and messages:

•Abnormal email address/website address: check the sender’s name and email address, check the website address by looking in the address bar at the top of your web browser. Ensure no alterations (like extra numbers, special characters or letters) are present in the sender’s email address or website address (URL).

•Spelling and grammatical errors: A legitimate company does not send out emails, announcements or publish websites with these errors.

•A sense of urgency: The sender puts you under pressure in an attempt to elicit a quick response from you in a limited time.

•Requests for Personal Identifiable Information (PII): Legitimate companies would never ask you to send sensitive information, such as passwords, bank account details etc via email or text messages.

•Requiring a link/attachment to be opened: Links/attachments will often contain malware or direct you to fake websites.

•Non-specific or missing email greetings: Legitimate companies will address their customers by name and not “Dear Customer”, “Dear User” etc.

•If it’s too good to be true: Scammers often offer easy chances to earn easy money or prizes. If it’s too good to be true it usually is.

The public are thanked in advance for their vigilance, support and patience at this time.

SHG

12 February 2026

#StHelena #Airport #cybersecurityawareness

 www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/  www.x.com/StHelenaGovt

The Captain of the MV Karoline, together with Port Control, assessed sea conditions this morning, 12 February 2026.

The MV Karoline has now safely berthed alongside Rupert’s Jetty to begin offloading cargo for the island. All personnel involved in the offloading operation are working diligently to ensure that goods are distributed and available in shops as soon as possible.

The public are thanked for their understanding and cooperation during this time.

SHG

12 February 2026

With the recent accreditation of the Airport to Category 4, the St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to confirm a significant step in maintaining essential services.

Successful Medevac Flight

A medical evacuation (Medevac) flight was successfully conducted today, under normal operating procedures. The primary purpose was to ensure the safe, rapid transfer of an emergency medical patient for potentially lifesaving surgery in South Africa.

As a result of the need for this Medevac flight, three patients who were receiving medical treatment overseas have been able to return home. A further two patients have been able to leave the island on this flight for scheduled urgent care.

Equipment for Fire Tender Repairs

SHG can also confirm that the spare parts and specialised tools required to repair the airport’s fire tenders are now en route to the island. They will be accompanied from South Africa by two specialist engineers to provide additional capability and capacity to conduct repairs as quickly as possible, with teams working in shifts. We anticipate they will arrive on a charter flight later in the week.

We have again taken the opportunity to fill the remaining seats on this flight, in both directions, from a carefully prioritised list including those with prioritised medical care needs and critical personnel. 

Contacts

For all affected passengers, information regarding flight bookings, travel logistics, accommodation and other travel-related support is available from Solomons Travel Agency directly at 22523 or flights@solomons.co.sh.

Any immigration concerns can be directed to cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.

For pharmacy assistance or general health-related questions, please contact Jamestown Hospital at 22500 during normal opening hours.

The St Helena Government (SHG) acknowledges the significant disruption and concern caused by the current suspension of commercial air services.

We wish to provide the community with a comprehensive update on the progress being made to restore full operations, and the information we have available to date. To that end and to address a number of the questions raised by members of the public, we have prepared a Q&A document. It can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/airport-closure-qa/. We will continue to update the document as the situation changes.

Current Status and Safety Measures

Following intensive work by the St Helena Airport team and the St Helena Fire and Rescue Service, the regulator has granted approval for the airport to operate at Category 4. This allows for Medevac flights and small executive-type jets to land on St Helena, providing a viable route for spare parts and additional technical expertise, as well as time critical overseas medical referrals.

Due to an incident overnight, we now expect a Medevac flight to take place tomorrow. This flight is operating to the same timescales as would normally be the case. This should reassure the public that essential medical services are fully operational.

Whilst this is a vital step in maintaining a lifeline to the island, we stress that Category 4 is not a replacement for commercial services. Airlink have currently suspended future bookings to St Helena. This should not be taken as an indication of how long the disruption will last and flights will only be cancelled on a flight-by-flight basis, as necessary. 

As of today, 10 February 2026, only flights for 7, 10, 14 and 15 February 2026 have been cancelled.

Restoring the airport to Category 6, required for Airlink’s commercial flights, as soon as possible remains our highest priority.

The Path to Restoration

We are pursuing multiple short and long-term solutions in parallel, including:

We are working with the regulator across all solutions to understand how we can safely achieve a return to Category 6 status for normal operations to resume as soon as possible.

Residents Overseas

To assist with repatriation at the earliest opportunity, we are currently relocating residents from Cape Town to Johannesburg. We are aware that, for many, the health provisions of travel insurance may be running out. Although it is not a mandatory requirement in South Africa, we strongly recommend that you speak with Solomons and extend your cover if you are affected. 

Operational Response and Community Support

Gold Command is continuing to meet daily, coordinating efforts locally and internationally. The Major Incident Response Plan is functioning effectively, with personnel across various agencies working around the clock.

For those requiring assistance, refer to the contact points at the bottom of this press release for matters regarding on-island support.

Public Discourse and Professionalism

SHG remains committed to a transparent review of these events at an appropriate time, once the operational response is no longer the primary focus.

Whilst we welcome constructive feedback and recognise the right of the public to express frustration or criticism, we must address the nature of recent online commentary. However, we do not condone discrimination nor racism. Abuse directed toward St Helena Airport or SHG staff will also not be tolerated. Our teams are working tirelessly to resolve this crisis and they deserve a safe and respectful environment in order to do this.

We thank the community for its continued patience and resilience. This situation will not be resolved overnight, but we are moving as quickly and safely as possible to return to normal operations.

Contacts

For all affected passengers, information regarding flight bookings, travel logistics, accommodation, and other travel-related support is available from Solomons Travel Agency directly at 22523 or  flights@solomons.co.sh.

Any immigration concerns can be directed to cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.

For pharmacy assistance or general health-related questions, please contact Jamestown Hospital at 22500 during normal opening hours.

#StHelena #AirAccess

On Monday, 9 February 2026 His Excellency Governor Nigel Phillips CBE and the Honourable Chief Minister Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks MBE made a statement on the current airport disruption to the media.

This was broadcast on SAMS Radio 1 and Saint FM and is available on Spotify:

SAMS Radio 1 – https://open.spotify.com/episode/4U3nlUUz4VXDB4eXpBWlwy?si=FDItmOqpRieGCJdZDaLepA

Saint FM – https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YiPPeR7kBLP4N53mXpEh5?si=YiyUYuVnQnaK-4LbT4UwDA

For those unable to listen to the broadcast, the transcript appears below:

[Governor]

The Chief Minister and I know that many of you are concerned about the disruption at the airport and the impact it is having on individuals, families, businesses and medical needs. We want to provide an update on progress to-date and next steps.

First, we are pleased to confirm that the airport has now secured regulatory approval from Air Safety Support International to operate at Category 4. This is a very important step and has only been possible thanks to the Herculean efforts of the airport team, our Fire and Rescue Service, the Gold Command group and the regulator.

Most importantly, this means medevac flights can operate.

Category 4 also means that small aircraft can land. This is not a solution to replace general passenger transport. But it does provide a safe and viable route for getting essential spare parts and specialist engineers to the island. This will help us move forward at speed with getting the airport fully operational again.

At the same time, we need to manage expectations. Category 4 does not allow for Airlink’s commercial flights to resume, that requires Category 6 status.

At this time the only flights that have been cancelled are those that were due to depart on 7, 10, 14 and 15 February. This is a moving picture and future flights remain under active review. Airlink have currently suspended future bookings on St Helena flights to avoid confusion until there is greater clarity on when flights will resume.

We are aware of speculation circulating on social media, including questions of blame and calls for investigations. We understand that people want answers, so does government, so does the airport team.   

Let us be clear: we will absolutely examine what has happened, not least because none of us want this to happen again. That work will be done with transparency, but it must be done in the right way and at the right time.  We will not take any action that prejudices the proper processes that will follow.

For now it is critical we keep our eye on the ball and nothing can be allowed to interfere with the immediate operational effort to restore our commercial air access.

Chief Minister…

[Chief Minister]

As the Governor has set out, this is a challenging time for many and I know the airport’s temporary closure has caused real worry and disruption. I want to assure everyone we are all doing our very best to support those people affected and resolve the situation as soon as possible. This is a collective effort by many and I would like to thank everyone for their efforts and patience as we work through this together. Beyond Gold Command, this includes relevant agencies, tourism, private businesses and local media services.

For now, our priorities remain:

Gold Command continues to meet daily, and they are working closely with all local agencies and international partners.

Contact points have been shared in the press and online for those with enquiries about bookings, travel logistics; immigration; pharmacy and health.

[Governor]

Thank you, Chief Minister.

To close.  The community’s patience and resilience are hugely appreciated. We remain fully committed to guiding the Island through this calmly, transparently and undertake to share updates as they become available

On behalf of the Chief Minister and myself, thank you for your attention..

#StHelena #AirAccess

www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

The public are advised that the Jamestown Wharf will be closed to all members of the public from 06:00 on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, due to the arrival of the cruise ship MV Azamara Journey. Any closure will be weather dependent and based on the sea conditions on the day.

The Jamestown Wharf will remain closed until the vessel has departed.

Access to the Jamestown Wharf will be strictly prohibited and will be limited only to those who have made prior arrangements with Port Control.

Boat owners are further advised that no maintenance works will be permitted on the Wharf during this period.

Port Control thanks the public for their cooperation during this time.