As the new year gets underway, Express has been reflecting on the stories that resonated most with our readers over the past 12 months.
We’ve rounded up our top-10 most-read articles of 2025, revisiting the events and moments that captured the island’s attention…
1. Passengers left “screaming” as plane struck by lightning
In September, passengers of a Blue Islands aircraft were left screaming after the plane was struck by lightning – causing it to “plummet” in the sky in a terrifying ordeal.
On the Southampton-bound journey, passengers experienced extreme turbulence after the plane was hit by a powerful electric current on the left side.
Following the incident, the airline confirmed that the aircraft in question had undergone inspections by its engineering team and later returned to service.
Blue Islands thanked and apologised to passengers on that flight, and those who were affected in the days that followed.
2. Another long-running Jersey construction firm shuts down
This year saw several high-profile collapses in Jersey’s construction sector, including Nicholson Builders in February.
Director Michael Nicholson cited both financial difficulties and personal tragedy when confirming the closure.
The announcement followed months of hardship after the sudden passing of Mr Nicholson’s father, Gary Nicholson, who had been the backbone of the family-run business for years.
Mr Nicholson explained that the firm would cease trading immediately, but not before they made efforts to “secure and make jobs safe, as much as possible”.
3. How nearly 50 Jersey children were manipulated into joining a major drugs network
In May, Express shared the story of how nearly 50 local children were reeled into a major network that smuggled nearly £2m-worth of drugs into Jersey.
Operation Java was broken down into three tiers: the ringleader, the young fixers, and the child network.
This investigation led to the imprisonment of ringleader Mohammad Babrul Hussain (32) and young fixers Elijah Michael Albert McManus (20), Joseph James Barratt (20), Rory George Ribeiro (19) and Monica Aguiar Nobrega (20).
The fixers were responsible for arranging the importation of drugs, receiving parcels, distributing packages to dealers – and recruiting or manipulating children they knew, and the friends and siblings of those children, to assist.
They also provided the addresses of those children to Hussain and to manage the network and keep the children involved in line, they used peer pressure, coded language and encrypted chats on apps like Telegram.
Of the children and teenagers involved, 43 were recommended to safeguarding and another seven were prosecuted in the Youth Court.
4. JTC agrees to £2.7 billion takeover by private-equity group
In a major business deal this year, Jersey-based fund administrator JTC agreed a £2.7 billion takeover by private-equity firm Permira after a competitive bidding battle.
The cash acquisition, which valued the UK-listed company at £13.40 a share in November, followed strong investor interest that saw JTC’s share price jump by more than 30%, with Permira ultimately outbidding rival Warburg Pincus to secure the deal.
At the time, JTC CEO Nigel Le Quesne said the announcement marked “a recognition of the quality and value of the business that we have all built over the last 37 years”.
5. Pub ordered to pay over £2,000 on behalf of “non-existent” barman
In October, The Wellington pub was ordered to pay more than £2,000 in social security and income tax credits for a barman who had been left out of formal documentation – despite being the only employee.
Philip Foster, who worked at the pub between January and April 2025, brought a claim for unpaid wages after his deductions were never passed on to Revenue Jersey.
The Wellington manager, Emma Keane, admitted she had not listed Mr Foster on a combined employer return form, leaving Revenue Jersey unaware of his employment.
The tribunal ruled that Mr Foster should be credited with the missing sums, with Revenue Jersey expected to recover the money from the manager.
6. Construction industry “deeply saddened” as another firm fails
In January, the construction industry was “deeply saddened” by the collapse of K-Land Construction.
JCC Chair Adrian De Gruchy said the council would continue its efforts to “get Jersey building again” despite the collapse.
The firm had worked on projects ranging from luxury homes to the Biarritz Hotel.
7. Police seek person who gave CPR to man who later died
In January 2025, police officers were seeking to identify an individual who attempted to resuscitate a man on Nelson Avenue in St Helier on Sunday 22 December 2024.
The 50-year-old man later died in hospital, and the police were appealing for witnesses or anyone with any information that could help identify the individual who was present at the scene.
8. X marks the spot… First look inside Jersey’s newest nightclub
In October, islanders were encouraged to dust off their dancing shoes as a new nightclub with a £70,000 DJ sound system opened in Jersey.
X nightclub, in the former ROJOs building on Beresford Street, welcomed its first guests on Friday 17 October.
The launch was the first stage of reopening the three-storey building, with two more floors – each with its own style, age range, and opening times – due in the coming months.
After three months of work, the ground floor had been completely refurbished and was open at the weekend, with plans to expand to four days a week depending on demand.
The space, aimed at over-18s, focuses on highlighting local talent and features a bigger dance floor than the former ROJOs club, which closed in December last year.
The team behind the launch hope the new club will provide a welcome boost for Jersey’s nighttime economy, which has faced a number of closures and setbacks in recent years.
9. Woman admits four-and-a-half years of benefit fraud in “very late guilty plea”
In November, a 56-year-old woman pleaded guilty to four-and-a-half years of benefit fraud. She made the admission on the same day that her trial was due to begin.
Speaking through an interpreter, Ana Maria Da Silva Vieira admitted failing to notify a change in circumstances to the Employment, Social Security and Housing Department between November 2019 and June 2024.
Commissioner Sir William Bailhache described her guilty plea on the day she was due to face trial as “very late”.
Da Silva Vieira is due to be sentenced in the Royal Court on Thursday 5 February.
10. DFDS apologises after St Malo day-trip turns in to “very long boat ride”
In August, DFDS customers who were expecting a day trip in St Malo instead experienced “a very long boat ride”, according to one of the passengers on the summer Saturday service.
The Danish ferry company apologised to the customers who were affected by the three-hour delay on the Jersey-to-St Malo sailing.
DFDS confirmed that an error within the booking system resulted in a one-hour departure delay from Jersey as staff had to move to a manual check-in procedure. This was followed by a further two-hour wait to dock due to a low tide and strong spring tides in St Malo.
Although customers were offered full refunds and a complimentary future trip to those who were travelling as day-trip passengers, islanders took to social media to express their dismay, describing the whole ordeal as an “absolute shambles”.
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