Repatriation from Praslin, Seychelles

Praslin is the second-largest of the Seychelles islands and the destination that most British visitors to Seychelles choose after Mahé. Anse Lazio beach on the northwest of the island is consistently ranked among the world’s finest. The Vallée de Mai UNESCO World Heritage Site — an ancient palm forest containing the coco de mer, the world’s largest seed — is another major draw. Praslin’s smaller hotels, private villa rentals, and relative quiet attract British couples on honeymoon and anniversary trips. A significant number of British tourists transit through Mahé before flying the short hop to Praslin by Air Seychelles.

Deaths on Praslin present specific logistical complications that do not apply on Mahé. All forensic, legal, and administrative processes are centralised on Mahé. The body must be transferred from Praslin to Mahé before any of those processes can begin. This island transfer adds time and cost to what is already a remote-island repatriation.

Consular coverage

The British High Commission Victoria: Victoria House, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles. Tel: +248 4283 666. FCDO 24-hour: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

The High Commission is located in Victoria on Mahé. There is no consular presence on Praslin. For deaths on Praslin, the High Commission coordinates remotely until the body is transferred to Mahé. Consular visits to Praslin are possible in serious or sensitive cases.

What Seychellois law requires

Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 54, 1976, as amended): All sudden, violent, suspicious, or unexplained deaths are reported to the Seychelles Police Force. The Praslin police station handles the initial report, and the investigation is supervised by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office in Victoria, Mahé.

Coroners Act (Cap 14): The Magistrate’s Court sits as the inquest authority. The Magistrate must be satisfied with the cause and circumstances of death before authorising release of the body.

Death registration: Registered at the Civil Status Office, Independence House, Victoria, Mahé — the island-wide authority. The death certificate is issued in English and French.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs export permit: Required for international transport of human remains.

Forensic facilities and the island transfer

Victoria Hospital (Mont Fleuri, Mahé) is the sole public hospital in the Seychelles and the only facility equipped for forensic post-mortem examination. All court-ordered autopsies must take place at Victoria Hospital. For deaths on Praslin, the body must be transferred to Mahé before any post-mortem can be conducted.

Transfer options from Praslin to Mahé:

By ferry: The Cat Cocos catamaran ferry service operates between Praslin and Mahé, taking approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Human remains can be transported by ferry under police escort and with Magistrate’s Court authorisation. This requires preparation of the body (basic refrigeration, appropriate enclosure) by the local provider on Praslin.

By Air Seychelles light aircraft: Short domestic flights operate between Praslin Airport (PRI) and Mahé (SEZ), taking approximately 20 minutes. Light aircraft cargo capacity is limited; very small coffin dimensions may be required, or the transfer may be by ferry regardless.

The decision on transfer method rests with the police and the Magistrate, not the family. Allow two to three days for the Praslin-Mahé transfer to be arranged and completed.

Forensic capacity at Victoria Hospital is limited. The Seychelles has a very small population and low death rates among foreign nationals; forensic pathology capacity does not need to be large. In complex cases, a forensic pathologist may be brought from Mauritius or South Africa, which adds significant time.

Embalming on Praslin

Embalming facilities on Praslin are limited. Praslin Funeral Services is the primary funeral service provider on the island. Basic preparations — including body refrigeration and initial enclosure — can be managed on Praslin, but full embalming is typically completed at a Mahé funeral home after transfer.

Documentation for repatriation

Documents required for UK customs:

• Death certificate from Civil Status Office, Mahé
• Magistrate’s inquest finding
• Police clearance
• Ministry of Health export permit
• Embalming certificate
• Sealed coffin certificate
• British High Commission death registration

Documents are issued in English and French. No translation is required for UK purposes.

Flight routing from Mahé

Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), Mahé: International cargo for repatriation departs from Mahé only — there are no international commercial cargo services from Praslin.

Routing options from Mahé to London Heathrow (LHR):

• Air Seychelles (operated by Air Austral on some sectors) via Paris CDG, then Air France or British Airways CDG-LHR
• Via Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO): Kenya Airways SEZ-NBO, then British Airways NBO-LHR
• Via Abu Dhabi (AUH): Etihad SEZ-AUH, then Etihad AUH-LHR

Allow 18 to 28 days from death to arrival in the UK. The Praslin-to-Mahé transfer, plus the forensic and administrative process on Mahé, plus cargo booking to London, each add to the timeline.

Practical points for families

Deaths on Praslin are relatively rare. The Praslin police and the British High Commission both have protocols for managing them, but the process requires patience and good coordination between the island and Mahé.

Contact the British High Commission Victoria as soon as the death is confirmed. The High Commission will notify the relevant authorities on both Praslin and Mahé and begin the consular death registration process.

Contact Repatriate Service to manage the logistics: Praslin-Mahé transfer, Mahé funeral director, documentation chain, and cargo routing to London.

Source: British High Commission Victoria official website, accessed 2025. Seychelles Criminal Procedure Code Cap 54. Seychelles Coroners Act Cap 14. Victoria Hospital, Mahé, institutional profile, 2024. FCDO Travel Advice: Seychelles, updated 2025.