In a significant relief effort, a second aircraft carrying American evacuees from Jamaica touched down safely at Tampa International Airport on Saturday night, according to Grey Bull Rescue.
Americans were stranded in Jamaica when Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, struck the island last week. This hurricane, noted as one of the most intense ever in the Atlantic, caused widespread devastation across the northern Caribbean.
Tragically, nearly 50 fatalities have been confirmed, with officials anticipating the death toll to rise as recovery operations continue amidst the debris.
Grey Bull Rescue, a non-profit organization based in Tampa and founded by a veteran of both the Army and Navy, spearheaded the mission to bring the stranded individuals back to the United States. Utilizing donated funds, the organization frequently steps in to assist Americans in crisis zones or natural disaster areas when government assistance is unavailable.
The initial flight, which transported 170 passengers, arrived late Friday night. The second group, comprising over 130 passengers, faced delays and complications at Kingston’s airport, resulting in their arrival in Tampa on Saturday night, hours later than the expected morning landing.
Altogether, these efforts successfully repatriated over 300 Americans.
A spokesperson for Grey Bull Rescue noted the struggles faced by the rescued Americans over the last few days.
“It’s been a long and difficult journey for these evacuees — days without electricity, communication, or reliable access to food and water.”
Vaughn Herter, one of the Americans to return home thanks to Grey Bull, said he and a few hundred others were attending a wedding in Montego Bay.
“We ended up being in a structure that the roof ended up being torn off the building and the ceiling collapsed on us while we were in there,” Herter told local reporters at the Tampa airport.
“It was the scariest moment of, I think, all of our lives, so we’re just grateful to be here,” Alyssa Lawrence added.
