Rescue group from Florida helps evacuate U.S. citizens from Haiti.

A Florida-based rescue team led by military veterans is responding to the calls for help from hundreds of stranded Americans in Haiti.

“Project DYNAMO operates in ‘The Grey Space’ where the U.S. government is not. This means, when the government is unable or unwilling to provide assistance, DYNAMO responds & deploys,” as mentioned on the website.

Mr. Stern confirmed to The Epoch Times about Project Dynamo’s rescue mission in Haiti on March 18.

“It was our biggest operation to date,” he stated.

He described it as “a multidimensional operation” involving air, land, and sea to rescue several Americans.

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“We aren’t disclosing specific numbers due to the ongoing dangerous situation and the intelligence of the adversaries,” he stated.

While the current focus is on rescuing efforts in Port-Au-Prince, Mr. Stern emphasized that people in distress are scattered throughout the entire country.

He highlighted, “There are individuals in need all across Haiti. So, rescue operations are not limited to just the violent areas, but prioritize those who are in trouble, which may not always align with the conflict zones.”

Mr. Stern mentioned the disparity in resources available in Port-au-Prince compared to the locations of recent rescues, where there were no resources for the rescued individuals.

“They were located closer to Cuba than to Port-au-Prince, in a remote area. We used air, land, and sea routes to extract them, including a plane, a boat, and a bus that took them to the Dominican Republic,” he outlined.

US Position on Rescue Efforts

In a security alert on March 16, the U.S. State Department confirmed efforts to organize a charter flight from Cap-Haitien airport, following months after issuing a warning for Americans to leave Haiti.

However, the overland trip from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien was deemed hazardous, with no overland travel assistance provided from other parts of Haiti apart from the embassy warning individuals to only travel there if it’s safe.

“We are exploring departure options from Port-au-Prince and will provide updates when secure arrangements are made. Individuals seeking government-assisted evacuation must agree to reimburse the U.S. government for the flight costs,” the security alert announced.

During a briefing on March 19, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel addressed the recent rescue efforts by U.S. Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who evacuated 23 Americans from Haiti in two trips.

“Is this a coordinated action by the State Department that you support?” a reporter inquired.

Mr. Patel expressed relief when American citizens find safety but emphasized the risks involved in operations not directly coordinated by the State Department in a Level 4 Do Not Travel country like Haiti.

He acknowledged a State Department operation facilitating over 30 U.S. citizens’ safe departure over the weekend.

Reportedly, nearly 1,000 Americans have submitted crisis intake forms seeking assistance to leave Haiti.

Government Rescue Operations

Mr. Stern discussed an important nuance regarding the government’s rescue efforts.

He suggested, “The issue isn’t a lack of capabilities since America has vast resources, such as a powerful military. It’s ultimately a policy decision on whether to act on the capabilities.”

Regarding the government’s request for reimbursement for rescue efforts, Mr. Stern found it peculiar, given their organization’s history of rescuing thousands without expecting repayment.

He elaborated on the recurring scenario of embassy evacuations leaving behind Americans in distress, questioning the emphasis on prior warnings to leave instead of focusing on helping citizens in need.

Mr. Stern, a military veteran with experience in various operations globally, stated that Project Dynamo’s success in rescue missions directly correlates with funding.