TFHA01: LUXEMBOURG QUICK ON THE DRAW IN HAITI

UNCLAS LUXEMBOURG 000007 SIPDIS DEPT FOR HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE USAID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA DEPT FOR EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PGOV SOCI LU HA SUBJECT: TFHA01: LUXEMBOURG QUICK ON THE DRAW IN HAITI REF: BRUSSELS 43 ¶1. (U) Luxembourg responded quickly to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, dispatching a 17-person team with seven rescue dogs to Haiti on Wednesday, 13 January. The team departed with a team of Belgian emergency workers (reftel). According to Luxembourg Red Cross Director Marc Crochet, the Luxembourg team began search and rescue operations following a five-hour, airport-related delay. Local press reported that a team of German relief workers was unable to depart Germany due to inclement weather but managed to depart for Haiti from Luxembourg's Findel Airport. ¶2. (U) Luxembourg Ministry for Development and Cooperation confirmed two Luxembourg families were in Haiti at the time of the quake. Both were pursuing a Red Cross-assisted international adoption. Both families are out of harm's way and are currently staying at an orphanage approximately twenty kilometers outside of Port-au-Prince. ¶3. (U) Luxembourg-based satellite company SES Group announced that one of its subsidiaries, SES World Skies, has dedicated five satellite transmission volumes to assist with satellite communications, following the quake's complete destruction of conventional communication and telephone channels. Stroum