Resettlement of Île du Coin

The resettlement mission occurred during an ongoing sovereignty dispute in which the islands are claimed by both the United Kingdom, administered as the British Indian Ocean Territory, and Mauritius. The British government under Keir Starmer had agreed to cede the islands to Mauritius, but the treaty was not yet ratified. Public access to the territory is heavily restricted, with the entire territory covered by an exclusion zone. Entering without permission can theoretically carry a three-year prison sentence. ==Timeline==

Planning The initial landing mission was organised in secrecy by a group of five people: the four British Chagossians Misley Mandarin, his father Michel Mandarin, Antoine LeMettre, and Guy Castel, and former British MP Adam Holloway. Michel was born in the islands and was 14 when he was expelled in the expulsion of the Chagossians, the déraciné, or uprooting, and put on to boats by the British colonial authorities. Michel said there are 322 people who were born in the islands and still living that wish to return home before they die, in addition to a far larger number of descendants born elsewhere post-expulsion. The group received funding from British-Thai billionaire Christopher Harborne, and bought a boat in Thailand. The boat was then loaded with provisions in Galle, Sri Lanka, from where the group embarked on a five-day sail to Île du Coin, entering the exclusion zone of the British Indian Ocean Territory unannounced without seeking permission. Arrival The landing party set foot on Île du Coin on Monday 16 February 2026 at 08.52 local time (02.52 GMT), with the four Chagossians staying there to reestablish a permanent settlement. The news of the mission only became public following the landing. Mandarin sought to reassure the United States that the settlement did not threaten the military base on Diego Garcia. On 18 February 2026, they were served a removal order in the name of Royal Marines Major Pete Goddard, as Acting Principal Immigration Officer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, stating that if they did not leave they could face imprisonment of three years or a fine of £3,000, or both. On 19 February 2026, the Chagossians' lawyer, James Tumbridge, successfully applied for an injunction, which was granted by Chief Justice of the British Indian Ocean Territory, James Lewis, who stated "there is no doubt the balance of convenience falls on the side of the claimants (the islanders). They are 120 miles from Diego Garcia and pose no threat to national security on the evidence before me". On 26 February two more Chagossians arrived on the islands, Clifford Aglae and Andy Antanika, bringing the islands' population up to six. ==Legal status==

On 31 March 2026, Chief Justice James Lewis ruled that the Chagossians have the right to live on the islands and that the law used to prevent their return was no longer valid. The British Indian Ocean Territory administration has stated their intent to appeal the ruling. ==Port Charles==

In March 2026, with the support of the Chagossian Government and several British politicians, the Friends of the British Overseas Territories organisation published a report on the feasibility of resettling the British Indian Ocean territory, attempting to update a previous feasibility study conducted by KPMG for the British Government in 2015 in light of the attempted resettlement in 2026. The report outlines a proposed civilian settlement on Île du Coin, designated Port Charles after the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom Charles III, phased over 10 years with a population goal of 500 centered around a new marina on the site of the original Perch Settlement and jetty, which would act as the capital for the Chagossian Government of BIOT. The church ruins on the island would also be rebuilt. The development of the settlement would focus on sustainable and environmental approaches to water and power, such as desalination and solar plants, as well as agriculture and fishing. The eventual goal would be integration with Diego Garcia military base, both legally and in providing services, and harnessing economic opportunities, such as ecotourism, restarting coconut production, and trade with the nearby Maldives. ==See also==