Repatriation from Sal, Cape Verde

Cape Verde is a 10-island archipelago 570km off the west coast of Africa. British tourism is concentrated on two islands: Sal (the flattest island, home to Santa Maria beach resort) and Boa Vista (the easternmost island, with wide beaches and a Club Med / Thomas Cook resort model). Deaths on either island involve a two-stage logistics chain: the island’s limited local infrastructure, then an inter-island or direct international cargo leg.

Sal (Ilha do Sal) is the primary British tourist destination. Aeroporto Internacional Amílcar Cabral (SID) on Sal has direct charter and scheduled services to the UK, which is the key advantage for cargo repatriation from this island.

What the British Embassy does — and does not do

The British Embassy Dakar (20 rue du Docteur Guillet, Dakar, Senegal) covers Cape Verde. There is no resident British consul in Cape Verde on any island.

The Embassy can: Register the death in UK consular records. Advise on Cape Verdean documentation requirements. Provide emergency contact information.

The Embassy cannot: Repatriate the body. Pay any costs. Instruct Cape Verdean authorities.

FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Cape Verdean law requires

Under the Código de Processo Penal de Cabo Verde (Cape Verdean Code of Criminal Procedure), sudden or unexplained deaths are reported to the Cape Verde National Police (Polícia Nacional) and referred to the Public Prosecutor (Ministério Público). Post-mortems are conducted by the forensic medical service — on Sal, at Hospital Dr. José Maria Morais (Santa Maria, Sal). For complex forensic cases, the body may need to be transferred to Santiago Island (Praia), where the main forensic pathology capacity is based at Hospital Dr. Agostinho Neto.

Death certificates (certidão de óbito) are issued by the Conservatória do Registo Civil on Sal.

The documentation chain

1. Certidão de óbito (death certificate). Issued by Conservatória do Registo Civil, Sal.

2. Prosecutor’s release (required in sudden death cases).

3. International transport authorisation. Issued by the Delegacia de Saúde do Sal (Ministry of Health Cape Verde local delegation).

4. Certified Portuguese-to-English translations of all documents (Cape Verde is a Portuguese-speaking country; all documents are in Portuguese).

5. Embalming certificate.

6. IATA cargo documentation.

Source: Código de Processo Penal de Cabo Verde; Ministério da Saúde Cabo Verde, Procedimentos para repatriamento de restos mortais, 2024.

Airport and cargo routing

Aeroporto Internacional Amílcar Cabral (SID), Sal, has direct charter and scheduled services to UK airports — operated by TUI, Jet2, and easyJet in the peak season. For human remains cargo, the direct SID-UK routing is available seasonally. Outside peak season, the routing is SID to Lisbon (LIS) on TACV Cabo Verde Airlines or TAP Air Portugal (approximately 3 hours), then LIS-LHR British Airways or TAP (2.5 hours).

For deaths on Boa Vista, the departure airport is Aeroporto Internacional Aristides Pereira (BVC); Boa Vista also has direct charter flights to the UK in peak season, and routes to Lisbon otherwise.

Timeline from Sal

Hospital-certified natural death: 10 to 18 days (including translations)
Transfer to Santiago for complex forensics: adds 3 to 7 days
Extended investigation: 4 to 8 weeks

Key local considerations

Sal and Boa Vista are year-round beach destinations for British tourists. The demographics skew towards older visitors and families. Heat-related illness and cardiac events during physical activity (watersports, cycling) are the primary natural-death categories.

For guidance on next steps, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.

Information based on Código de Processo Penal de Cabo Verde and Ministério da Saúde Cabo Verde. Last reviewed May 2026.