NY Air National Guard Rescue Wing Assists with St. Maarten Evacuations
Evacuees prepare for their departure on board a New York Air National Guard HC-130 assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing from Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten, September 8, 2017. The rescue wing, staging out of San Juan, Puerto Rico with the Puerto Rica Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Wing, provided rescue support to those requiring urgent medical care following the devastation of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. The coordinated effort between the Department of State and Department of Defense evacuated 1,172 Americans and 35 other foreign nationals from St. Maarten with the 106th prior to the arrival of Hurricane Jose. U.S. Air National Guard photos courtesy of the 106th Rescue Wing.