Flights To Puerto Rico Cancelled As Island Struggles With No Power, Communication
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Anxiety and stress were the words of the day as passengers tried to make their way to San Juan, Puerto Rico, not knowing what they will find when they get there.
Luis Torres was one of the lucky ones who got out Friday morning.
"I came with a generator, food, water. Because in the islands, they don't have anything, no communication," he said. "It's so bad in Puerto Rico."
Other passengers, like Roberto who wants to find his family, and Verushka Vera, who's returning home, were not so lucky. Their flights were cancelled outright. Vera said she spoke to her family.
"They are fine, thankfully," she said. "We are bringing bread, water and other supplies."
For Roberto, he's still trying to make contact with his loved ones.
"All my family is there and I've had no communication with them. I'm in the military and I took leave," he said. "I'm trying to get down there and talk to them."
American Airlines said it has been up and down all day due to the conditions on the island. Their 6 a.m. flight carrying relief supplies collected by airline employees, for their employees based there, did get out.
"The second and third flight took off perfectly," said AA spokesperson Alexis Aran Coello. "The fourth flight had to turn around mid-air because of conditions there were not up to par with our safety standard on the island. And then, subsequently, the fifth flight was cancelled."