Delta Air Lines operated a relief flight yesterday (8 September) from Ft. Lauderdale International Airport to the Bahamas to aid stricken citizens after Hurricane Dorian and will run more today.
Flight 9994 landed at 10:59h at Marsh Harbour Airport to deliver 4,700 pounds of critical supplies. Once supplies were unloaded, the flight departed for Nassau with 59 evacuees.
Supplies delivered onboard the MD-88 include non-perishable food, water, diapers, formula, underwear and socks for survivors.
Delta said it was operated in coordination with the U.S. Marine Corps, Bahamian Police and British Marines on the ground in Marsh Harbour, with supplies unloaded by Delta employees assigned to assist the mission. Employees then helped load passengers already identified by authorities before departing for Nassau, Bahamas.
The flight was the first relief mission operated by Delta following a reconnaissance flight organized Friday with Tropic Ocean Air charters, Blue Tide Marine Security and Global Elite Group to survey damage at the Marsh Harbour Airport, which remains closed due to significant infrastructure damage
From there, Delta teams worked with local authorities and military groups to quickly organise relief flights to and from the island into the weekend.
Delta is to operate two additional relief flights to Bahamas today, to deliver supplies from Marsh Harbour to Nassau. Flights are tentatively set to depart at 11:30h and 15:20h.
The airline will deliver critical supplies such as cots, feminine products and water from Atlanta to Nassau and Fort Lauderdale to Marsh Harbour.
