Following an interview with Afrikaans radio station RSG on 19 May 2026, South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, confirmed that the current overwintering team stationed on Marion Island will be evacuated and returned to South Africa. The evacuation operation began when the research and supply vessel SA Agulhas II arrived at the island, situated more than 2,000 km from Cape Town. According to the Minister, the decision was necessitated by critical diesel shortages linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which has disrupted fuel supply logistics essential for sustaining operations on the remote sub-Antarctic island. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is working closely with the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) to ensure the safe return of all personnel while maintaining the country’s long-standing scientific and environmental commitments in the Southern Ocean region.