The Icelandic Rescue Squad has arrived in Haiti to assist in relief efforts after a devastating earthquake hit the country.
30 volunteers carrying 14 tons of equipment flew to Haiti yesterday, making a brief stop in Boston before moving on. Guðjón Arngrímmsson, a spokesman for Icelandair, told reporters that these volunteers have previously assisted efforts in Turkey, Algeria and Pakistan. “We are kind of prepared for the worst,” he told the Boston Herald.
The plane arrived in Port-au-Prince at around 9:00 PM Icelandic time. The volunteers will work alongside UN relief workers, and are reported to have enough equipment and water to work independently for ten days.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphéðinsson told Vísir that he was “incredibly proud” of how well the organization and execution of the relief effort went, despite Iceland having economic difficulties.