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J'cans rescued
Air J mounts airlift from Turks ahead of Hurricane IkePATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, September 06, 2008
An elated Camille Williams is greeted by a friend as she arrives at the Norman Manley International Airport from the Turks and Caicos Islands yesterday. Williams was one of more than 100 Jamaicans airlifted from the islands by Air Jamaica ahead of the arrival today of Hurricane Ike. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
More than 100 Jamaicans were yesterday airlifted from the Turks and Caicos by national airline Air Jamaica as powerful Hurricane Ike threatened the small islands mere days after they were drenched by Hurricane Hanna.
"I am just happy to be home," said Kaydeen Miles as she exited the arrival terminal at the Norman Manley International Airport about 4:30 yesterday evening. "Many places were flooded after Hanna."
More than 350 Jamaicans are scheduled to return home on several specially arranged Air Jamaica flights out of the islands before today when Ike is forecast to hit.
Miles, an education officer for two-and-a-half years in the Turks and Caicos, lauded the Jamaican Government and Air Jamaica for the timely rescue.
Kaydeen Miles and fellow educator Fabian Reid yesterday on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport from the Turks and Caicos Islands. They were among more than 100 Jamaicans airlifted from the islands by national airline Air Jamaica ahead of an expected strike by Hurricane Ike today. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
"We have to be thankful to the honourable council Allan Hutchinson and Shirley Williams of Air Jamaica for co-ordinating it," she said. "They were really instrumental in getting us out."
Jamaicans in the Turks and Caicos, which comprises several small islets just north of Hispaniola, were contacted by the council and the rescue mission co-ordinated, Miles said.
Sandra Elliot, another Jamaican returning on one of the special flights yesterday, also heaped congratulations on the Government for the evacuation from the threatened isles.
"We are extremely grateful to the Government," she said.
Elliot, who said she has been working at Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos for five years, told the Observer that this was the first time she had seen a large scale evacuation of Jamaican residents from another country.
"When I saw American Airlines evacuating American citizens, I asked what about Jamaicans," Elliot said.
"I was so happy when I heard that Air Jamaica would be coming for us," she beamed, even as she revealed that she had to travel more than 200 kilometres home to Hanover.
Miles, in the meantime, said that not all Jamaicans residing in the Turks would be able to return home before the hurricane.
"Some people who work in the essential services there can't return," she shared.
Joseph Jackson, a construction worker who returned to Jamaica from the Turks earlier this year, waited patiently at the airport last evening for the arrival of his wife Marilyn.
"I came home, but my wife stayed there to work," he said.
"We are not sure what will happen, but life is more precious than gold," he said.
Ike is the second cyclone to affect the Turks and Caicos in a matter of days as category 1 strength Hurricane Hanna dumped several inches of rain on the islands earlier this week, leaving many sections flooded.
Hurricane Ike is on track to hit the Turks and Caicos Islands this afternoon as a category four storm.
Air J mounts airlift from Turks ahead of Hurricane IkePATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, September 06, 2008
An elated Camille Williams is greeted by a friend as she arrives at the Norman Manley International Airport from the Turks and Caicos Islands yesterday. Williams was one of more than 100 Jamaicans airlifted from the islands by Air Jamaica ahead of the arrival today of Hurricane Ike. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)More than 100 Jamaicans were yesterday airlifted from the Turks and Caicos by national airline Air Jamaica as powerful Hurricane Ike threatened the small islands mere days after they were drenched by Hurricane Hanna.
"I am just happy to be home," said Kaydeen Miles as she exited the arrival terminal at the Norman Manley International Airport about 4:30 yesterday evening. "Many places were flooded after Hanna."
More than 350 Jamaicans are scheduled to return home on several specially arranged Air Jamaica flights out of the islands before today when Ike is forecast to hit.
Miles, an education officer for two-and-a-half years in the Turks and Caicos, lauded the Jamaican Government and Air Jamaica for the timely rescue.
Kaydeen Miles and fellow educator Fabian Reid yesterday on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport from the Turks and Caicos Islands. They were among more than 100 Jamaicans airlifted from the islands by national airline Air Jamaica ahead of an expected strike by Hurricane Ike today. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)"We have to be thankful to the honourable council Allan Hutchinson and Shirley Williams of Air Jamaica for co-ordinating it," she said. "They were really instrumental in getting us out."
Jamaicans in the Turks and Caicos, which comprises several small islets just north of Hispaniola, were contacted by the council and the rescue mission co-ordinated, Miles said.
Sandra Elliot, another Jamaican returning on one of the special flights yesterday, also heaped congratulations on the Government for the evacuation from the threatened isles.
"We are extremely grateful to the Government," she said.
Elliot, who said she has been working at Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos for five years, told the Observer that this was the first time she had seen a large scale evacuation of Jamaican residents from another country.
"When I saw American Airlines evacuating American citizens, I asked what about Jamaicans," Elliot said.
"I was so happy when I heard that Air Jamaica would be coming for us," she beamed, even as she revealed that she had to travel more than 200 kilometres home to Hanover.
Miles, in the meantime, said that not all Jamaicans residing in the Turks would be able to return home before the hurricane.
"Some people who work in the essential services there can't return," she shared.
Joseph Jackson, a construction worker who returned to Jamaica from the Turks earlier this year, waited patiently at the airport last evening for the arrival of his wife Marilyn.
"I came home, but my wife stayed there to work," he said.
"We are not sure what will happen, but life is more precious than gold," he said.
Ike is the second cyclone to affect the Turks and Caicos in a matter of days as category 1 strength Hurricane Hanna dumped several inches of rain on the islands earlier this week, leaving many sections flooded.
Hurricane Ike is on track to hit the Turks and Caicos Islands this afternoon as a category four storm.
