Hurricane Melissa: Tui sends empty planes towards Jamaica to evacuate British tourists - how many Brits are on the island?
A holiday company is flying empty aircraft to the Caribbean to prepare for the evacuation of hundreds of stranded British tourists.
Tui, the largest holiday firm in Europe, is sending multiple aeroplanes over to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa forced widespread flight cancellations.
The storm, the strongest of the year, has battered the island with 185mph winds, leaving thousands of tourists unable to return home. Flights from Montego Bay to the UK have been grounded since last weekend, with around 1,300 Tui customers still waiting to be brought back.
To speed up the operation once Montego Bay airport reopens, the holiday company has dispatched two Boeing 787 Dreamliners from Birmingham and Manchester to a nearby Caribbean hub - believed to be Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, just under two hours from Jamaica. Each aircraft can carry more than 300 passengers.
Tui has also cancelled all package holidays to Jamaica until Sunday, November 2, as it assesses the impact of the hurricane.
A company spokesperson said: “We’re working hard to assess the full impact of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and the extent of damage to local infrastructure including resorts, roads and airports.
“We want to reassure our customers that their safety and wellbeing remains our absolute top priority.
“We understand this is an unsettling time and ask that customers currently in Jamaica continue to follow the advice of local authorities and their resort teams.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said OBE, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, added: “As Jamaica and Cuba recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, tourism will play a vital role in supporting local communities and rebuilding the economy.
“Travellers returning to the islands once it is safe to do so will help sustain jobs, small businesses, and the wider recovery efforts that are essential to restoring livelihoods and stability.”