U.S. Air Force Is Maintaining Airport Operations
ANN Realtime Update 01.15.2010 1008
EST: The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl
Vinson arrived off the coast of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Friday to
begin humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
"Our initial focus is to concentrate on saving lives while
providing first-responder support to the people of Haiti," said
Navy Rear Adm. Ted N. Branch, commander of the Carl Vinson Carrier
Strike Group and of the sea-based portion of the Navy's
humanitarian-support mission in the earthquake-stricken nation.
"Our assistance here reflects our nation's compassion and
commitment to those impacted by this tragedy."
The carrier arrived with a robust airlift capability, picking up
extra helicopters while in transit that will prove essential during
the mission.
"When tasked to support humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief operations in Haiti, we immediately headed to Mayport, Fla.,
at more than 30 knots and loaded 19 helicopters, personnel and
support equipment from five different East Coast Navy squadrons in
less than eight hours," said Navy Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey, Carl
Vinson commanding officer. "There is no other platform that can do
all of that so quickly."
Original Report: U.S. Air
Force special force operators in Haiti have rescued seven survivors
of the massive Jan. 12 earthquake that continues to wreak havoc on
the country in its wake, according to Air Force officials.
News of the rescues represents a small victory in the face of what
some have described as one of the greatest humanitarian emergencies
in the history of the Americas.
Air Force Special Operations Forces have been manning the
airport in the capital of Port-Au-Prince since about 2000 EST
Wednesday, conducting airfield operations in addition to recovery
and rescue efforts, said Air Force Lt. Col. Brett J. Nelson.
"Within hours of our arrival last evening, we established airfield
control and have maintained that control conducting 24-hour
operations at Port-Au-Prince airport," Nelson, the commander of the
23rd Special Tactics Squadron, 720th Special Tactics Group, said
during a conference call with reporters today.
Air Force personnel have been engaged in operations to rescue
potential survivors from collapsed buildings, he said. The colonel
added that a number of Americans have been evacuated via the
airport, but declined to provide an exact figure.
Nelson also clarified that the airfield has power and is able to
sufficiently light the premises to conduct night air
operations.
Flanked by his national security team Thursday, President Barack
Obama elevated the humanitarian response in Haiti to the top of his
priority list, enlisting the aid of government agencies and
imploring Americans to extend compassion to those in need. "I've
made it clear to each of these [U.S. government] leaders that Haiti
must be a top priority for their departments and agencies right
now. This is one of those moments that calls out for American
leadership," Obama said in remarks at the White House.
The FAA instituted a ground stop at the airport for much of
Thursday due to the number of airplanes already on the
ground. That order was lifted late in the day. CNN reports
that U.S. Military personnel are working to assure that planes
arriving at Port-au-Prince have enough fuel to depart again,
because refueling is still a major problem. Officials have
considered bringing supplies into the airport at Cap Haitien, but
the runway there is half the length of the airport at
Port-au-Prince, and ground transportation of supplies from the
northern coast to earthquake victims would be problematic.
The airport is the critical link for humanitarian relief because
the country's main sea port is severely damaged. "The airfield
provides capacity for immediate relief, lifesaving, life-sustaining
capability, but as we look at recovery as we look at down the road,
the real number and mass of supplies comes from the maritime
dimension, and it comes through the ports, over the shore,"
Gen. Douglas Fraser, the head of the U.S. Southern Command,said at
a press conference in Florida on Thursday.