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Following yesterday’s announcement that Airlink flights to St Helena are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, 17 February, HE the Governor and the Chief Minister delivered a joint radio address to the public.

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

SAMS Radio 1 – https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zigfXg0n0senZ7JIHDvkX?si=Zm97n4jBTx2l18aTmsx8xw

Saint FM – https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XCPPyVYHnTVsoTpVycL1w

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

[Governor]

After a challenging week, the Chief Minister and I would like to update you on the restoration of air operations

Our airport mechanics, supported by two specialist engineers from fire appliance manufacturer Marcé, have worked incredibly hard, operating in shifts, to complete the repairs to appliance R1.

We are extremely grateful to them for their efforts and to St Helena Fire and Rescue Service, whose support is instrumental in regaining Category 6 status.

I am delighted that this has now been restored and, subject to the weather, scheduled flights will begin again tomorrow, 17 February.

Repairs will continue to make R2 operational and R3 will undergo further work to improve its current capabilities.

The Airport team, with support from the Governor’s Office and the FCDO, have been investigating options to provide a long-term replacement for the existing airport fire tenders R1 and R2. The team have been working at pace to source replacements that will meet the stringent requirements for airport firefighting and be suitable for long term use in the challenging environmental conditions experienced here on St Helena. They have been engaging with other airports to ensure what we buy will not only be compliant but will work well in our remote context. 

We still have work to do, but once operations are fully back to normal, we will make good on the need to investigate the circumstances leading up to the airport closure. We will do so independently and transparently. The airline industry remains one of the safest on the planet and we will continue to follow their best practices to ensure that it remains so.

Chief Minister…

[Chief Minister]

Thank you, Governor.

Sunday’s announcement will have come as a huge relief to everyone.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the whole community of St Helena and those passengers awaiting travel here and overseas for your patience and understanding. The last 10 days has been challenging but you have shown just how our community spirit, strength and resilience has helped to get through it.

Thanks to the incredible hard work of so many, and over the weekend the long hours put in by the mechanics at the airport, supported by specialist engineers from Marcé and to the Fire and Rescue Service. We can now get people to where they need to be.

Residents overseas and visitors currently stranded have been supported throughout this period by many individuals both here and overseas and in particular I would like to acknowledge the Solomons Shipping and Travel team led by Kerry; The Tourist Office team led by Jono; the Health team for helping our visitors to access healthcare and chronic health medication, our tour operators, hoteliers and businesses who have all stepped up to support our visitors during this challenging time. To everyone, your professionalism and generosity has been overwhelming and helped to limit the impact on St Helena’s reputation. Your actions and response continue to demonstrate why St Helena remains resilience and a unique destination for visitors.

Our focus now needs to be on recovery. I want to reassure our business community that the Government acknowledges the challenges you have faced. Colleagues in SHG are already talking to businesses to understand the scale of both the short and long term implications the closure may have had. Over the coming weeks we will consider what support we are able to offer to those who have been affected. 

As the Governor has said we are also exploring options to build resilience at the Airport with the prospect of new Fire Tenders being funded shortly. Thanks to the support of the FCDO and the Governor’s Office.  

May I reiterate my thanks to all of those who have been instrumental in returning travel to and from our island back to normality.

[Governor]

In closing. It will remain busy but we are making good progress.

On behalf of the Chief Minister and myself, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism displayed in overcoming this major incident.

Thank you.

Statement by Chair of the Board of St Helena Airport Ltd

In addition to the radio broadcast, the Chair of the Board of St Helena Airport Ltd made the following written statement:

“On behalf of the St Helena Airport Limited (SHAL) Board, our management team, our staff, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all parties who have worked tirelessly to restore airport operations and enable the safe resumption of scheduled flights from 17 February 2026.

We recognise the significant disruption the events of recent days have caused for our community, visitors, airline partners, and businesses. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prioritised safety and worked methodically with our partners to return to normal operations. Safety remains our foremost priority. The decision to resume flights follows the completion of the necessary checks and readiness actions to ensure we are operating in full compliance with applicable requirements.

Looking ahead, we are working closely with the St Helena Government (SHG) and partners to strengthen the airport’s long-term resilience. This includes exploring replacement options for firefighting appliances and undertaking a comprehensive review on what are the factors that have led us to this situation.

We are grateful to SHG colleagues, emergency services, suppliers, and our dedicated SHAL team for their sustained efforts throughout this period.”

#StHelena #AirAccess

www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

The public are advised that the scheduled closures of Longwood Road and Side Path Road will not take place today, 16 February 2026, due to current inclement weather conditions.

Weather permitting, the closure of the stretch between Longwood Gate and Hutts Gate  will now proceed tomorrow, Tuesday, 17 February 2026.

The closure between the Briars, Side Path, Constitution Road junction and Button-up Corner (Heart-Shaped Viewpoint bus shelter)  has been rescheduled for Wednesday, 18 February 2026. This adjustment will allow residents of Alarm Forest, Levelwood, and Longwood districts to collect any cargo using the normal route.

SHG

16 February 2026

St Helena Airport is pleased to announce that full air operations can now resume. The first scheduled flights will commence on 17 February

SHG is pleased to announce that today, 15 February, St Helena Airport has regained Category 6 accreditation for its firefighting capabilities and full operations can resume. This is down to the incredible hard work and long hours put in by the mechanics at the airport, supported by specialist engineers from Marcé.

Full commissioning tests have been undertaken with tender R1, which will be supported by R3 and St Helena Fire and Rescue Service. The results have been accepted by the independent regulator, ASSI.

Repairs to R2 will continue, but do not affect accreditation. We continue to look at longer term replacement options, with the support of FCDO, to ensure better resilience.

The first Airlink flight will be on Tuesday, 17 February, subject to favourable weather.

Tickets will NOT be sold for this flight, or for Saturday, 21 February. Those with pre-booked tickets specifically for these flights should travel as normal. The remaining seats will be used for repatriation and allocated based on length of delay. Please do not contact Airlink or the Airport, Solomons will contact you with an update.

Bookings will reopen for Tuesday, 24 February and beyond in due course.

We would like to thank everyone for their patience, support and resilience through this challenging period.

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

www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/

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.