Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said the Bahamian government will offer free flights for residents of the devastated islands of Abaco and the Grand Bahama as they seek to escape the total destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian.
Speaking by phone on Anderson Cooper 360, Minnis said an executive order was granted for Bahamas Air, the national airline, to establish a route to both islands over the next five days for residents to evacuate.
“Once the aircraft start a regular route, we will increase the flight service to both Abaco and Grand Bahama,” Minnis said. “Those individuals who want to come to the capital with family members, we will try to accommodate them with other housing needs. Those individuals will be able to fly to the capital free.”
Minnis said the government would absorb the costs of the flights.
The prime minister also said he had a “very good” conversation with President Trump about relief efforts to the island nation, and he said he was surprised that Trump opened the conversation by expressing his condolences for the death of Minnis’ brother, who died Tuesday.
“I must say that from day one, the United States was in our territory assisting us with all of our needs,” Minnis said. “Had it not been for the United States, we would not have been advanced this far in the entire process.”
Minnis also announced that the death toll from Dorian had risen to 30, which he expected to rise in the coming days.
