---
title: Richard Branson Is Refusing to Leave His Private Caribbean Island Ahead of Hurricane Irma
description: Virgin founder Richard Branson has decided to stick out Hurricane Irma and stay put on his Necker Island.
authors:
  - name: Rachel Lewis
    url: https://money.com/author/rachel-lewis/
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published: '2017-09-06T12:38:35.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-17T06:44:37.000Z'
section: Business
tags:
  - hurricane irma
  - necker island
  - onetime
  - Richard Branson
  - Virgin
  - virgin islands
word_count: 161
canonical: https://money.com/richard-branson-irma-virgin-islands-necker/
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![Former President Barack Obama Goes Kitesurfing In The Caribbean](https://img.money.com/2017/09/richard-branson-irma-virgin-islands.jpg)
*Richard Branson takes a break from kitesurfing while vacationing with Former President Barack Obama.*

Virgin founder Richard Branson has decided to stick out [Hurricane Irma](https://time.com/4928798/pope-francis-plane-hurricane-irma/) and stay put on his Necker Island.

[He said in a statement](https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/preparing-hurricane-irma) that although there is a storm threat to the British Virgin Islands every 10 years, most drift north and a Category 5 has never hit before.

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"We had some lovely guests staying on Necker Island who have cut their trip short for safety reasons, and another group of guests have also postponed. I will be on Necker alongside our team, as I have been on the three times we have had hurricanes over the past 30 years," he said.

Branson's buildings on [Necker Island](https://time.com/4662331/barack-obama-richard-branson-necker-island/) are designed to withstand storms, using hurricane blinds that he says should be able to resist the extreme weather.

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He added that his main concern is for the local people and wildlife on the British Virgin Islands: "\[H\]opefully all people and animals can keep out of harm’s way in the coming days."

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