First Airlift for Canadians Evacuating Haiti Successfully Completed Following Weather Delay
A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says that on March 26, 18 Canadians were evacuated from Haiti via helicopter.
Initially, Ms. Joly had announced on March 25 that the 18 individuals had already left, but Global Affairs Canada later clarified that their departure was delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
Once the heavy rain and wind subsided, the individuals were safely transported to the Dominican Republic.
Canada’s evacuation plan for citizens in Haiti was announced by Ms. Joly on March 25, offering Canadian passport-holders the opportunity to leave amidst food shortages and escalating violence caused by armed gangs.
Following a briefing before her press conference, Ms. Joly’s spokeswoman mentioned that the evacuations had just occurred, with the minister learning about the postponement afterward.
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Global Affairs confirmed that the 18 evacuees were provided with accommodation and further evacuations are underway.
Canada intends to airlift small groups of Canadians to the Dominican Republic free of charge, with individuals responsible for their own accommodation and return travel expenses.
This airlift is specifically for Canadian passport-holders, and efforts are being made to include relatives of citizens and permanent residents in the evacuation process.
The Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince can assist individuals with emergency documents in cases of missing or expired passports.
As of March 25, approximately 3,000 individuals with ties to Canada had registered with the Haitian government, with fewer than 300 requesting assistance to leave the country.
Of those seeking help, fewer than 100 are Canadian citizens with valid passports, and out of that group, only around 30 are considered “travel ready,” according to officials.
