Spared Irma’s Worst, Puerto Ricans Sail to Virgin Islanders’ Aid

FAJARDO, P.R. — Puerto Rico, dealt only a glancing blow by Hurricane Irma, has become an impromptu emergency hub for its Caribbean neighbors that were left devastated by the storm’s wrath.

Puerto Ricans relieved at being spared the worst destruction donated water, clothing, first aid and other supplies, and dozens of recreational boaters sailed to nearby islands to deliver the assistance and evacuate now-homeless islanders on the return trip.

A 54-foot dive boat named the Tobias cast off on Sunday morning from the marina here, the largest in the Caribbean, and made its way eastward under a searing sun to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, the fourth vessel of the day to make the trip. It would return later crowded to capacity with 46 St. Thomas residents escaping the near-total devastation of the island.

“We were very blessed here, and we have to do everything we can to help,” said Cristina Morales, the owner of the Tobias.

Government-led missions have also been evacuating people from the islands to Puerto Rico. Some 1,200 mostly American citizens, have been carried from Saint Martin and Saint Thomas in six C130 aircraft, and more than 50 patients have been airlifted to Puerto Rican hospitals, officials said.

Insight on the private airlift that’s being organized out of San Juan, Puerto Rico to evacuate Americans from the devastated Leeward Islands. This is from one of the private flyers who’s coordinating the effort:

Many people have asked me what I need. Here it goes.

1. I need Ana Martel. We need to beef up out incident command structure and you are the bad ass we need to help our current general. Please call me asap.

2. We need funds for fuel. I will be flying today three missions thanks to the generosity of Dr. Roberto Mendez who called me last night and pledged $1,000. Thanks my Brother! We need to set up a bank acct to receive the funds for this specific use. We will NOT be handing out money to any victims. We will only use this money to get the aid into the right hands now...

3. Our mission is changing. We continue relief deliveries but we are also doing more evacs of people. I need to speak with the head of Customs and Border Protection in Puerto Rico. We need flexibility in the reporting requirements of folks coming from abroad. We have been trained not to bring folks without prior notification of passport details which when we are in these islands without power there is no way to do this. We face a $10k fine. We need for them to be more flexible during this emergency.

4. We need bigger planes. If anyone knows Gov. Ricardo Rosello please tell him to please call his DNR Secretary and order her to allow the Caravan aircraft they own to be used in these efforts. The two pilots and the planes and sipping coffee while we are all sweating our asses in our small planes. Please help!

5. Tortola: Tommy Dardet if you have 10 planes arriving at the same time, why do we have one unhappy and slow as hell lady handling all of the immigration duties. It is clearly huge bottle neck. I sure it feels great to have all this power please GET RID OF HER! Get 10 of the British commandos laying under the palm tree guarding themselves to help out!

6. We need to get prescription medicines to folks in need. How can we do this? Supplies are running low and things will get more complicated.

Thank you!

Capt. Arland Miller and other volunteer GA pilots from Puerto Rico

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