- The crew of the US Customs and Border helicopter provided medical aid to three people who signaled for assistance in Puerto Rico on Sunday
- The crew landed the Black Hawk helicopter on a mountain top and then trekked down a road that had been swept away by the landslide to reach the home
- Maria struck Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane last Wednesday, with winds up to 155 miles (249 km) per hour
This is the incredible moment a family hit by Hurricane Maria was rescued by a helicopter after they painted the word ‘HELP’ on their roof.
The crew of the US Customs and Border helicopter provided medical aid to three people who signaled for assistance in Puerto Rico on Sunday.
The crew landed the Black Hawk helicopter on a mountain top and then trekked down a road that had been swept away by the landslide to reach the home.
This is the incredible moment a family hit by Hurricane Maria was rescued by a helicopter after they painted the word ‘HELP’ on their roof
The video shows an aerial view of the roof with ‘HELP’ painted on it, and crew stepping over fallen trees and underbrush before arriving and tending to the family.
Maria struck Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane last Wednesday, with winds up to 155 miles (249 km) per hour, leveling structures across the island and killing at least 16 people.
Puerto Rico’s governor has called for a greater federal response to Maria as desperate tourists and locals crowd the airport in the hope of getting a seat out of the hurricane ravaged island.
Governor Ricardo Rossello begged the White House and Department of Defense to fast-track disaster relief funds after the category four hurricane wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico last week, leaving millions without cell service and electricity.
The crew of the US Customs and Border helicopter provided medical aid to three people who signaled for assistance in Puerto Rico on Sunday
The crew landed the Black Hawk helicopter on a mountain top and then trekked down a road that had been swept away by the landslide to reach the home
Rossello warned of a looming ‘humanitarian crisis’ and said residents could potentially flood the US mainland if the island couldn’t recover quickly from the devastating hurricane.
‘We need more resources from the Department of Defense so we can get helicopters and resources,’ Rossello told Politico.
‘My fear is we’re going to have some side effects that are devastating both for Puerto Rico and the United States. Mainly massive migration that would deteriorate our [economic] base here in Puerto Rico and would provoke significant demographic shifting in other areas of the United States.’
His plea for help comes as hundreds of stranded tourists and Puerto Ricans filled the sweltering halls of San Juan International Airport on Monday anxious for a seat on one of the few flights out.
The video shows an aerial view of the roof with ‘HELP’ painted on it, and crew stepping over fallen trees and underbrush before arriving and tending to the family