Second Russian jet with rescue party lands on Haiti

09:35, 15 January 2010

MOSCOW. January 15. KAZINFORM Second Ilyushin-76 airlift jet of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense /EMERCOM/ carrying rescuers and relief aid for the earthquake-stricken Haiti has landed in Santo-Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

EMERCOM's information service says the jet has delivered a consignment of emergency and rescue equipment, high-capacity off-road vehicles, a team of rescue workers, and a group of physicians.

The Russians will be taken to Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital and largest city by cars.

Another two jets are en route to Haiti. The last of them took off from the Ramenskoye airdrome southeast off Moscow at around 16:00 hours GMT.

It is carrying a group of fifteen rescuers, specialized equipment for search and rescue operations, including the one that helps disassemble heavy construction beams, and light towers that make it possible to work during nighttime.

The same jet will bring a light helicopter of the BK-117 family, which the rescuers will use for aerial surveillance and evacuation of the injured from hard-to-get-to areas, Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.

News World News