HAVANA – The Cuban government has agreed to let the US military use restricted Cuban air space for medical evacuation flights carrying Haitian earthquake victims, sharply reducing the flight time to Miami, a US official said yesterday.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said a deal had been reached allowing evacuation flights from the US naval station in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to pass over the island on the way to Florida.
The deal would shorten the flight time by 90 minutes on trips that are normally routed around Cuba.
US military relief teams in Haiti have been taking injured quake survivors to Guantánamo for treatment. Some victims are being sent to Florida for further treatment. – (Reuters)