Nuclear platform for Haiti assistance
18 January 2010
The USS Carl Vinson has arrived at Port-au-Prince as part of the American contribution to earthquake recovery in Haiti. As well as supplies, helicopters and a field hospital, the twin-reactor aircraft carrier features seawater desalination capability to produce 1.5 million litres of potable water per day. Commanding officer Captain Bruce Lindsey said, "When tasked to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Haiti, we immediately headed to Mayport, Florida at more than 30 knots and loaded 19 helicopters, personnel and support equipment from five different East Coast Navy squadrons in less than eight hours. There is no other platform that can do all of that so quickly."