A group of 243 people, including 163 French nationals, was able to leave Haiti, where they were blocked by violent fighting between gangs and the government, and is expected in Martinique on Friday, said the prefect of this French department in the Caribbean. Three vessels from the National Navy are expected in Fort-de-France, the prefect of Martinique and the senior commander of the Armed Forces in the Antilles said Thursday during a press conference.
On board are 243 people, including 163 French people and 80 foreigners, half of whom are nationals of European Union countries, according to the prefect of Martinique Jean-Christophe Bouvier.
“French nationals will be offered an immediate return to France
,” assured the prefect, adding that they
“will be able to benefit from a flight chartered by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs the same day
,” he said. added Jean-Christophe Bouvier.
Amphibious helicopter carrier
The prefecture has also specified that foreign nationals requiring administrative regularization of their visas will spend one night in Martinique before possible departure from the territory. Haiti, already the victim of a very serious political and security crisis, has been plagued by renewed violence since the beginning of March, with several gangs having joined forces to attack strategic locations in Port-au-Prince. On Sunday evening, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment
of “special flights”
.
The amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre. STRINGER / AFP
“French nationals who wished to benefit from the special flights set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces were able to board French helicopters to join a national navy vessel which will transport them to Fort-de-France soon. »
, a diplomatic source told AFP.
“206 transfers were made by helicopter to Tonnerre (an amphibious helicopter carrier, Editor's note) (...) between March 24 and 26 from (...) Port-au-Prince
,” detailed Thursday Nicolas Lambropoulos , senior commander of the Armed Forces in the West Indies. Some 1,100 French people, including a large number of dual nationals, live in Haiti, according to figures from the Quai d'Orsay.