Haiti relief: The Air Force's Jamaica to Jacmel shuttle

Since Globemaster IIIs can't land at Jacmel (at least for now) a good way of avoiding adding to congestion at Port-au-Prince airport (paras out of sequence):

...
During a media briefing in Ottawa Wednesday, Defence Minister Peter Mackay said an "airfield activation team" had been working to repair Jacmel's airstrip and get it back in working order. Two C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying relief supplies were able to land early Wednesday, according to MacKay.

The larger C-17 Globemaster aircraft have secured landing rights at Kingston, Jamaica's Norman Manley Airport, where they will offload cargo [the Jamaicans have seen a Canadian Globemaster before]. The Hercules will pick up that cargo for short-haul flights into Jacmel and Port-au-Prince, MacKay said...

Canada has two navy ships in Haiti. The destroyer HMCS Athabaskan is anchored off Jacmel, while the frigate HMCS Halifax is positioned near the capital.

Both will continue to carry out light engineering work to support aid agencies, as well as deliver food, water and medical aid, Laroche said.

In addition, Canada's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has set up in Jacmel, the childhood home of Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean...

Canadian Forces [Air Force] SAR Techs [more here] are working in Port-au-Prince, helping search for survivors, Laroche said.

"SAR Techs has been working in the area of Port-au-Prince yesterday, trying to find if there are still people under the rubble in Port-au-Prince and also they have been doing different missions throughout the island and they're going to keep on doing that," Laroche said.

A total of 2,000 Canadian troops are already in Haiti, or preparing to be deployed, to help keep the peace and deliver aid [Operation HESTIA--many relevant further links at the site, "What's new" factsheet here].

Canada's efforts will focus largely on an isolated area south and west of Port-au-Prince. The area is largely cut off due to blocked roads and crumbled infrastructure.

The Canadian area stretches from the outskirts of the capital to Jacmel on the south coast, about 35 kilometres from Port-au-Prince [more here].

Canadian troops will set up hospitals and clear roads leading to Leogane.

Master Cpl. J-P Somerset (left) and Able Seaman P J MacKenzie, from HMCS Athabaskan, give medical attention in Leogane, Haiti, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010.
(Cpl. Johanie Maheu / Department of National Defence)