80 escape Haitian crisis, arrive at MIA on State Department flight
MIAMI - Passengers arriving at Miami International Airport on a flight from Haiti are saying they are relieved to be able to escape the problems and violence in that country.
They also said they were grateful for the State Department flight from Cap-Haitien because some of them had been trying to get out of the country.
Armed gangs have launched new attacks this week in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince and Haitians have been pleading for help from the National Police Force but it has been understaffed and outmatched by gangs.
Some of the 80 arriving passengers even heard gunfire on Wednesday night before they left Cap-Haitien.
Gastor Desir said, "The situation is very bad. I am just happy to be in the United States."
Wilson Joseph of Fort Lauderdale told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench, "I was going to Haiti 15 days ago and I got mugged. I found a flight to come back. I don't feel good about what is going on. To make it better they need to take control of the government. That would be good for the people of Haiti."
Tania Diogene said, "I heard gunfire last night in Cap Haitien. I went to Haiti to visit my mother but I could not see her because she could not get to Port-au-Prince.
"I was shocked by the shooting," she said. "I was not used to it. The people are not able to make it better but maybe the government can."
Yves Stimfil said he went to Haiti to get his mother out of the country.
"The only thing she could say to me was that she is glad she left Haiti," he said. I was worried about my mom."
His mother had just a few words to say as she smiled and told us, "I am good."
Ashley Norilus returned from Cap-Haitien with her mother and said "It was scary. It was very scary. In Cap-Haitien, there is not a lot of food. What is going to take to make it better is money?"
A spokesman for Miami International Airport said that he did not know of any other flights that would be arriving this week from Haiti.