A group of 243 people, including 163 French, managed to leave Haiti, where they were blocked by violent anti-government demonstrations, and are expected to arrive in Martinique on Friday, said the prefect of this French Caribbean department.
Three ships of the National Navy are expected in Fort-de-France, the prefect of Martinique and the high commander of the Armed Forces in the Antilles indicated this Thursday, March 28, during a press conference.
There are 243 people on board, including 163 French and 80 foreigners, according to the prefect of Martinique, Jean-Christophe Bouvier.
Serious political and security crisis
The prefecture has also specified that foreigners who need administrative regularization of their visa will spend one night in Martinique before a possible departure from the territory.
Haiti, already the victim of a very serious political and security crisis, has been devastated by renewed violence since early March, and several gangs have joined forces to attack strategic locations in Port-au-Prince. On Sunday afternoon, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of “special flights.”
“The French who wished to benefit from the special flights established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces were able to board French helicopters to join a national navy ship that will soon transport them to Fort-de-France “said a diplomatic source.
“206 helicopter transfers were made to Tonnerre (an amphibious helicopter carrier, ed.) (…) between March 24 and 26 from (…) Port-au-Prince,” Nicolas Lambropoulos, senior commander of the Forces, detailed this Thursday. Armies in the West Indies.
Some 1,100 French people, including a large number of people with dual nationality, live in Haiti, according to figures from the Quai d’Orsay.
Source: BFM TV
