Cuba opens airspace to US relief flights

Cuba opened its airspace to the United States to conduct aid and evacuation flights from quake-hit Haiti, the White House said Friday.

"We have coordinated with the Cuban government for authorization to fly medical evacuation flights from the US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Miami, Florida through Cuban airspace, cutting 90 minutes off one-way flight time," the White House said in a statement.

The two Cold War-era enemies had already struck a deal that allows Washington to enter the island's airspace in case of an emergency.

The new agreement will allow US relief air convoys to use the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay and enter the Cuban airspace on their way to Florida, AFP reported.

According to the Red Cross, between 45,000 to 50,000 people have been killed in Tuesday's earthquake, with a further 3 million injured or rendered homeless.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=116204§ionid=351020706.