Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — The U.S. government is actively working to evacuate American citizens trapped in Haiti, where violent gangs have taken control of the capital city and forced over 15,000 people to flee their homes.
A group of ten U.S. nationals recently made it to safety in Florida after being flown out of Haiti on a chartered plane arranged by missionaries.
Despite these successful evacuations, many more Americans in Haiti are still seeking a way out, with concerns growing for those they may have to leave behind.
"We are actively looking into all available options for American citizens who wish to leave Haiti," stated deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel from the State Department on Tuesday. He mentioned that close to 1,000 individuals have submitted a crisis intake form through the department's website, seeking assistance or a means of evacuation from the country.
The State Department has assured that they will maintain communication with these American citizens throughout the evacuation process.
Asked whether the U.S. government backed private evacuation flights that have been arranged, in some cases with help from members of the U.S. Congress, Patel said such missions "deviating from formal State Department operations" could be high-risk. But he stressed that the government welcomed any American citizen making their way to safety.
Gregoire Leconte, who has a U.S. passport, was one of hundreds of people in Cap-Haitien trying to flee the country on Tuesday, with no flight to leave on.
"The situation is very bad in Haiti," he told CBS News.
- No sign yet of Haiti crisis leading to spike in migrants trying to reach U.S., officials say
A woman, who asked not to be identified, expressed fear for the friends and family she could soon leave behind, but she made it clear the risks were too high.
"People go inside your house, killing, raping, all those things, burning your house," she said.
As many waited for an opportunity to get out, a missionary flight from Fort Pierce, Florida landed in Cap-Haitien carrying roughly 5,300 pounds of critical humanitarian supplies, including food and baby formula.
CBS Miami's Tania Francois was the only journalist on that flight. Airport workers told her it was the first plane to fly into Haiti from the U.S. carrying passengers and desperately needed provisions.
The aircraft later journeyed south from Cap-Haitien to the town of Pignon, situated approximately halfway between the northern port city and the turmoil of Port-au-Prince. Subsequently, it facilitated the return of 14 individuals to Florida; comprising 10 U.S. passport holders and four Haitian nationals.
"It's not the scenario I desire, as Haiti is my homeland," expressed Haitian traveler Christla Pierre to Francois. She elaborated that her purpose for traveling to the U.S. was to enable her 15-month-old son, who possesses American nationality, to consult a pediatrician.
Another Haitian passenger on board, Annexe Soufferance, disclosed that he was heading back to the U.S. on a student visa subsequent to a visit to family in the Caribbean nation.
"I am grateful for the educational opportunities in the U.S., yet my aspiration remains to return and contribute to my country," he affirmed.
