On Wednesday, more Americans were evacuated from Haiti amidst the escalating chaos in the Caribbean nation. A US-chartered helicopter flight and a Florida-organized plane facilitated the safe return of US citizens as gang violence and political instability grip Haiti.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the departure of a plane carrying 14 individuals, including families and children, from Haiti to Orlando Sanford International Airport. This flight is the first of many planned trips to rescue US citizens and Florida residents in harm's way in Haiti.
Approximately 360 Floridians are still in Haiti, according to Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. The flight departed from Cap-Haitien, a city on Haiti's north coast, and landed in Florida in the evening.
Meanwhile, a US government-chartered helicopter flight transported over 15 US citizens from Port-au-Prince. The State Department anticipates that more than 30 Americans will be evacuated daily on these chartered flights.
The ongoing security concerns, limited commercial transportation options, and the demand from US citizens will determine the duration of the evacuation efforts. The international airport in Port-au-Prince remains closed due to the recent wave of gang attacks across the city.
State Department Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel mentioned that the charter flights would fly to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, from where Americans will arrange their onward travel. Evacuees on US government-coordinated flights are required to reimburse the government, with costs not exceeding a reasonable commercial flight fare.
DeSantis assured that individuals on the Florida-bound plane would not be charged, acknowledging the challenging circumstances they are facing. The State Department's initial evacuation flight on Sunday transported more than 30 US citizens from Cap-Haitien to Miami, with plans to continue operations from that location.
