US Sends Helicopters to Assist Disaster Relief

The first three of eight helicopters being provided by the United States as part of humanitarian aid to communities impacted by the passage of Hurricane Melissa arrived in the island on Friday (October 31).

They will be put into service across the country to assist with the distribution of relief supplies.

The helicopters, loaded with relief supplies, were welcomed by Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, at the Caribbean Military Academy School of Aviation in Kingston.

“I want to thank the Government of the United States of America and, of course, the US Embassy here in Jamaica for the coordination. I want to thank all the personnel who have come,” he said.

“We are hoping that by tomorrow the balance will be here, if not, the latest this weekend, and of course, these three will be put to work tomorrow morning in conjunction with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). They will be taking supplies for widespread distribution to all affected communities in Western Jamaica,” Minister Vaz said.

He reassured Jamaicans that the Government is at work to get much-needed assistance to persons in severely affected parishes.

“We are here. We understand the frustration. We understand the anxiety and the suffering from the catastrophic category-five hurricane. We definitely are doing everything in our power to respond as quickly as possible. We pray for you and God bless Jamaica, Minister Vaz said.

In an interview with JIS News, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Kingston, Scott Renner, informed that the helicopters will remain in the island to distribute supplies.

“They’ll be used to help the shipments that come in to be moved around the country to the areas in need because these big helicopters can go where they need to go,” he added.