Cayman facilitates United States’ Haiti relief effort

| 16/08/2021 | 66 Comments

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has given permission for eight helicopters carrying US military personnel to land in Grand Cayman as part of US efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Haiti following the 7.2 earthquake in that country on Saturday. The aircraft are three US Army CH-47 Chinook, three UH-60 and two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

The machines will be refueling and receiving other support services as they fly aid into the beleaguered country, where almost 1,300 people have already been confirmed dead and thousands more injured following the weekend quake at Saint-Louis du Sud. However, Tropical Depression Grace was hampering rescue efforts Monday with heavy rain.

Local government officials said that the first four helicopters, carrying 49 personnel arrived in Grand Cayman Sunday evening and the rest of the rescue fleet is expected today. The Public Health Department and Travel Cayman confirmed that the US military personnel had returned a negative PCR test result before receiving permission to enter the Cayman Islands and COVID-19 protocols will be followed during the visit.

The request to land in Grand Cayman came from the US Southern Command and was approved by the United Kingdom and Cayman Islands governments. The aircraft will provide heavy and medium air-lift to the US Agency for International Development-led mission to bolster Haitian disaster response.

The helicopters and personnel are assigned to Joint Task Force – Bravo, one of three task forces under United States Southern Command, which operates a forward, all weather, day/night, category-5 capable air base in Soto Cano, Honduras.

The devastating earthquake shook Haiti around 8:30am Saturday. The epicenter of the quake was located about 7.5 miles from the southern town of Saint-Louis, which is some 78 miles from the capital, Port-au-Prince. The city of Les Cayes with a population of around 125,000 has been hardest hit. Over 13,000 homes and other buildings are said to have been destroyed.

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Category: Local News

Comments (66)

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  1. Homer Says says:

    Maybe, just maybe, the current path of Tropical Storm Grace has just a wee bit of influence on why they are staging out of Cayman for the time being. DOH

  2. Anonymous says:

    Anyone find it suspicious that they are here?

    The southern tip of Florida is equal distance to Haiti as Cayman is. Guantanamo, Kingston Airport and DR are much closer to Haiti.

    • Anonymous says:

      The choppers originated in HN.

    • Anonymous says:

      They are all based at Soto Cano air base in Honduras. This is their job, disaster response. Florida based assets also responding. What the hell are you talking about??

    • Anonymous says:

      Not if they are deploying the guys from Honduras who are earmarked for natural disaster relief sigh.

    • #conspiracy says:

      I assume that you are afraid that Joe Biden is covertly setting up a invasion of Cayman to get the media spotlight off of his bumbling of Afghanistan.

      • Anonymous says:

        Get it through your thick skull. Biden is not the reason that place is a mess. Religious fanatics and people who had 20 years of support and training are. The US can’t keep wasting their resources and people on a lost cause. But I assume you were all for America First when t*ump was in office though?

  3. Anonymous says:

    GO USA! Our Haitian family needs you now more than ever.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Given that they recently aided in the assassination of their President, it’s the least they could do.

    • Anonymous says:

      As well as paying all their debt interest under the Highly impoverished country program you mean?

  5. Anonymous says:

    Go USA! First on the scene to help and assist.

    I know bunch you lot don’t want to give the USA credit for anything positive, do ya?

    • Anonymous says:

      Glad they’re helping for a change and not trying to force their version of democracy on another country.

    • Anonymous says:

      Obviously a proud gringo, no credit for should be necessary for doing the right thing!

    • Anonymous says:

      Go USA? How about you encourage more of your countrymen to take the vaccine. Maybe then you lot will get some credit.

    • Anonymous says:

      Shut ya trap.

      Just be happy and supportive, don’t worry about those ‘lot’.

    • Anonymous says:

      USA! 🇺🇸

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you watching the news. Afghanistan the biggest foreign policy embarrassment in US history

      • Anonymous says:

        5:11, Are you watching the news, the Afghans were nothing but armed cowards who surrendered at the first sight of the taliban. They ran like cowards despite all the supplies and training provided… were you expecting the USA to stay there forever? Get real, you jackass

        • Anonymous says:

          YUP! As well as trying to leave behind all their women and children.

        • Anonymous says:

          The Afghan military had 300,000 soldiers. That’s larger than the militaries of the UK, France, Spain and Germany… just to name a few. Yet, they dropped their NATO and US provided weapons and surrendered immediately to cave dwellers. Sorry, but not even an act of god could have given those cowards a different outcome.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Why don’t we deploy the Cayman Regiment? Isn’t disaster relief what they are meant to be for? Be excellent experience and demonstrate some regional fraternity. Sure the US would be happy to give them a lift on the choppers.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Not stirring the pot…. Actually curious…where is daggaro? Is this not their speciality?

  8. Anonymous says:

    Excellent coordination.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Well done!

    • Anonymous says:

      Tell it to the Afghans

      • Anonymous says:

        Firstly this has nothing to do with the Middle East. Secondly, the US should have never occupied Afghanistan because a country full of people with ideals that are based off religion is hopeless.

        • Anonymous says:

          Their country, their culture which has been around for much longer than USA has existed. If USA refrained from meddling in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries non of this would have happened, including 911. What an incredible waste😞

        • Anonymous says:

          Afghanistan is not in the Middle East.

      • Anonymous says:

        9:48 The USA and NATO supplied the Afghan government with weapons, gave them money and trained them. Unfortunately, the courage to fight and defend themselves isn’t something that can be supplied.

        • Anonymous says:

          There is no will to fight for your country or leader when a foreign country installs a puppet government. You misrepresent the course, ferocity and patriotism of the Afghan people of which the Taliban are a significant faction of. Against the full might of Russia and the USA they stand undefeated.

        • Bertie : B says:

          The USA supplied the Taliban with money and weapons when they where fighting Russia . The USA supplied Sadam Hussein with weapons and info when he was fighting Iran .The enemy of my enemy is my friend ! Oh and they also worked and supplied pineapple face from panama . He helped the CIA move drugs around !There are many more, but fact is any country that they deem as not useful anymore can say bye bye .

  10. Anonymous says:

    Why not Jamaica?

    • Anonymous says:

      Why not Guantanamo?

      • Anonymous says:

        Range. Without in flight refueling neither the Chinooks or the Blackhawks could make it. They will probably stop at Gitmo as well.

        • Anonymous says:

          You might want to look at a map.

          • Anonymous says:

            You might. Gitmo approx 900 miles from the base in Honduras. Cayman way closer. And while you are about it try Googling the range of a Chinook. Got to live a disparaging comment from someone who has zero idea on either the geography or the technical points. Sigh.

      • Anonymous says:

        12:26 the USA did not occupy Afghanistan. It was there fighting a war against the Taliban for their role in harboring terrorist that bombed the World Trade Centre and killed 2600 people from many nationalities.

        May you be reminded that the Brits and other nations where there as well.

        • Anonymous says:

          It was Al Qaeda that we were fighting. But mostly correct. The Saudis that attacked the US on 9-11 were hiding there.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why not France? Everything unnu call on Jamaica for. Jamaica is not the reason why Haiti is stuck in proverty.

      • Anonymous says:

        Why not their greedy politicians? France doesn’t own Haiti last I checked.

      • Anonymous says:

        True. Jamaica is the reason Jamaica is stuck in poverty however.

      • Anonymous says:

        Oh please. Haiti paid the last of the independence debt to France in 1947. You might want to look at the activities of bits corrupt politicians after that date for the reason for its debt balances now – even though thanks to the US paying its debt interest on its behalf that only amounts to $9 million interest a year.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why Jamaica?

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