Governor Ron DeSantis announced today the successful air evacuation of 28 Floridians who were stranded in Jamaica following the devastating impact of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. The rescue flight landed earlier Saturday at Tampa International Airport (TPA), bringing the residents home safely.
At the Governor’s direction, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) launched the evacuation effort on October 31, 2025. FDEM worked closely with local officials in Jamaica to coordinate the safe return of the citizens.
“Throughout my time as governor, Florida has rescued our residents from warzones and in the wake of natural disasters,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today’s operation in Jamaica brings stranded Floridians home in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. I am grateful for the efforts of our emergency management officials and partners who worked to make this happen.”
Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on the afternoon of October 28, 2025, as a catastrophic Category 5 storm. With maximum sustained winds of 185 mph Melissa is one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin and the strongest to ever hit Jamaica. The storm inflicted widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services across the island.
Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins was on the ground at TPA to welcome the returning families.
“Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, we mobilized quickly to send relief flights and bring our citizens home safely following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica,” said Lt. Governor Collins. “Today, I was on the ground at Tampa International Airport to welcome these families as they arrived and to ensure they received the care and support they needed.”
FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie praised the rapid mobilization. “This rapid response reflects the strength of Florida’s emergency management system and our commitment to providing timely, coordinated support,” said Guthrie. “Thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis’ decisive leadership and our team’s swift action, we were able to help Floridians return home safely.”
This evacuation marks the third time FDEM has conducted missions to bring Floridians home from crises abroad under Governor DeSantis’ leadership. Previous rescue operations included bringing residents back from Haiti in 2024 and from Israel in 2023 and 2025.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
