First Ever Emergency Airdrop onto Tristan
Report, photos and video from Philip Kendall
The UK Government has made a bold decision to support our three territories. Ascension, St Helena and Tristan following the outbreak of hantavirus on the MV Hondius. This has included sending an Airbus A400M Atlas plane from Ascension Island to Tristan on the 9th May 2026 in order to drop eight military personnel by parachute onto the golf course and 3.3 tonnes of medical supplies equipment in three batches at the Patches. These are to help with the Tristan side of the outbreak. This is the first time ever that a plane has flown low over Tristan to drop urgent supplies, making it an extra special occasion.
The Airbus A400M Atlas flies over the Patches to drop its final load of supplies.
The supplies and medics which this airdrop brought will give much needed support to our hard working medical team at Camogli Hospital. A truly remarkable feat of logistics, thanks to the UKHSA, FCDO, MoD and UK Government Ministers, without whom this would not have happened.
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| Sights never before seen on Tristan, as parachutists descend into the settlement in front of the 1,500ft cliffs, and medical supplies are dropped at the Patches |
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A special thanks must go out to the brave team that jumped out into the golf course, another first, and to our search and rescue team who were on the water, just in case.
The first men were taken to the Patches, where from the top of one of the mounds they guided in the aircraft for cargo drops.
Thanks must also be given to everyone on Tristan who pulled out all the stops at short notice, to ensure that our special visitors were accommodated, fed and given a good Tristan welcome.
More details to follow...