Earthquake in Haiti. A Spanish hospital ship left for Petit-Goave…

(BRUSSELS2) A Spanish ship (the Castilla) left its base in Rota (near Cadiz) bound for Petit-Goâve on the Haitian coast, 70 km from Port-au-Princeand an British Auxiliary Ship of the Royal Navy will also leave these days for Haiti. They thus complete the European effort. Three ships are already at work in Haiti: the Dutch Hs MS Pelican, Français Batral Francis Garnier and TDC Sirocco, already hard at work.

Castile is a Spanish amphibious assault ship. On board: 423 soldiers - 192 sailors, 37 from the helicopter unit, 165 marine infantry soldiers, 22 sailors in charge of landing craft and 7 reconnaissance divers - as well as 27 doctors and nurses. On the spot, il will have three main missions:
1) heal the inhabitants of this city of 120.000 inhabitants. « At least 500 wounded are currently untreated according to the Spanish minister, Carme Chacon, who was present at the departure of the ship.
2) Ensure a supply of drinking water.
3) Clear the main access roads and buildings at risk. This mission is part of the European effort requested by the UN to
which one coordinating team will be set up.


The Castilla is specially equipped. It has in particular:

- a field hospital, qualified as Role 2, with 8 intensive care units, a radiology room, two operating rooms, a dental practice and 70 beds.

- 4 helicopters: a Sikorsky SH-3D and three Agusta Bell AB-212 helicopters, with pilots and maintenance personnel, to allow the evacuation of the wounded, aerial reconnaissance, safety and surveillance flights.

- an engineering unit - equipped with excavators, bulldozers, dump trucks, ... - which provides capacity to clear debris and reopen roads.

- a drinking water production unit, thanks to two portable water treatment plants with a capacity of 500 liters per hour (24 tons per day), a 10.000 liter water reservoir on a flexible platform and three deposits 5000 liters each.

- a unit of landing craft allowing equipment to be brought as close as possible to the coast.