Pope crews drop supplies in Haiti

About 70,000 pounds of supplies including bottled water and Meals Ready to Eat were loaded onto a C-17 for the flight.

“We want to ensure the people of Haiti get the food and water they need,” Staff Sgt. Joshua Walker said.

After a three-hour flight, crews dropped the supplies above Mirebalais, 20 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince. Parachutes helped each bundle glide safely to the ground.

“It’s another way to bring the relief supplies, the food and water, to them without getting caught up in the bottleneck of the airport,” Maj. Jason Kirkland said.

All 40 bundles landed on target, Maj. Jeff Daniels said. Once on the packages hit the ground, soldiers distributed the food and water.

“One bottle of water or one MRE could save the life of a child or a man or a woman who has been devastated by a natural disaster,” Kirkland said.

Thursday’s flight was the Pope group's second supply drop to Haiti.

So far, more than 100 flights from the Pope Air Force Base have landed in Haiti with troops and supplies.