Subscribe
After commercial flights were halted, Mississippi and Texas Air National Guard members have operated & maintained mobile air traffic control in St. Croix to ensure military manpower and supplies come in, and mercy flights go out.
The military presence at the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport remains high. In additional to a steady rotation of military aircraft delivering pallets of ration meals, water, sleeping cots and National Guard personnel, the Henry airport is also the site of mercy flights taking fleeing passengers off the island, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Passengers represent every tax bracket and cross socio-economic lines. On an Oct. 1 mercy flight flown by commercial carrier JetBlue, for example, former three-term Senator Lilliana Belardo de O’Neal, stood in line with members of her own family.
“I’m very sad to see so many of my people leaving – it’s like an exodus,” O’Neal said in reference to three of her own relatives leaving St. Croix for the mainland for urgent care.”
“These people have been through a very challenging time here on the island and they’re looking to get off island for some relief,” added Michael Sauvan, general manager for JetBlue Virgin Islands.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2017 08:59 |
| Category: | Package |
| Video ID: | 555739 |
| VIRIN: | 171003-F-PL327-363 |
| Filename: | DOD_104925043 |
| Length: | 00:01:30 |
| Location: | FREDERIKSTED, VI |
| Downloads: | 4 |
| High-Res. Downloads: | 4 |
This work, Military Air Traffic Control Ensure Mercy Flights Fly in Virgin Islands, by MSgt Arthur Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
