Killick
Killick (formerly the Admiral Killick Haitian Navy base;[1] also called Point Killick[2]) is the Haitian Coast Guard base in Port-au-Prince.[3] It is the main base for the Coast Guard.[4] It is the other port for the city, aside from the main Port international de Port-au-Prince. It is located about 10 miles outside of downtown Port-au-Prince, and is about a century old.[1] The base is named after Admiral Hammerton Killick of the Haitian Navy, who scuttled his own ship, the Crête-à-Pierrot, a 940-ton screw gunship, by igniting the magazine, and went down with the ship, instead of surrendering to German forces, in 1902, at Gonaïves, Haiti.
Facilities
[edit]The base is approximately an acre in size.[4]
The port facilities can handle boats up to 40-footers.[5] There were two piers, a north pier and a south pier. The north pier was destroyed in the 12 January 2010 quake.[6]
A heliport is attached to the base.[7]
History
[edit]The base was set up during the 1915–1934 occupation of Haiti by the United States. It was a US Marine base.[8]
The base was used by UN MINUSTAH forces at the time of the 7.0 magnitude 2010 January 12 earthquake in Port-au-Prince. Stationed at the base was a battalion of Sri Lankan UN peacekeepers, and a Uruguayan maritime police unit also with the UN.[1] The Haitian Coast Guard units on base were a 28-footer and a 40-footer.[4]
2010 7.0 earthquake
[edit]The base was damaged in the 12 January 2010 7.0 earthquake.[9] Only a handful of structures remained standing at the base. The roofs of many destroyed structures appeared to be collapsed down, while the four walls collapsed outwards.[1] The main administrative building, mess hall, and depot were severely damaged. The south pier was damaged, and the north pier collapsed.[6] The heliport was also non-operable as a result of the quake.[7]
Crews from USCGC Tahoma and USCGC Mohawk are helping to rebuild the base.[9] After the quake, a field hospital was set up at the base to treat victims of the quake.[10] On the 18th, USS Gunston Hall anchored at the base, and started relief operations.[11] The crew of Gunston Hall made the heliport operational again.[7] As of 9 February 2010, the south pier was mostly operational again. A floating pier had been set up, which has cranes. A second floating pier is on its way. The harbour is being used as an entry port for aid to Haiti.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Washington Post, "Coast Guard cutter delivers medical supplies, help; 'we saved a lot of lives'" Spencer S. Hsu, 15 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ Jax Air News, "The angel boat gets due respect"[permanent dead link] Jose Irazuzta, 18 February 2010 (accessed 23 February 2010)
- ^ Associated Press, "Haiti to relocate 400,000 quake homeless" Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine Lynne Sladky, 21 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ a b c Keys Net, "Key West-based 'Mohawk' crew: 'We felt their pain' in Haiti"[permanent dead link] Sean Kinney, 27 January 2010 (accessed 28 January 2010)
- ^ Miami Herald, "Haiti seaport damage complicates relief efforts" Martha Brannigan Crline, 14 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ a b c Wired, "Rebooting Haiti’s Quake-Ravaged Coast Guard" Nathan Hodge, 10 February 2010 (accessed 10 February 2010)
- ^ a b c Daily Press, "From Little Creek, USS Gunston Hall makes a lifesaving detour" Hugh Lessig, 22 January 2010 (accessed 23 January 2010)
- ^ Chicago Tribune, "Haitian hardship, 15 years later" Mark Silva, 13 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ a b Navy Times, "CG continues evacuations, clears port" Susan Schep, 19 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ All Headline News, "US Officials In Haiti Promise More Ports Of Entry Getting Operational"[permanent dead link] Tejinder Singh, 19 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)
- ^ WVEC, "Navy in Hampton Roads answers call to duty in Haiti" Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine 13News, 19 January 2010 (accessed 22 January 2010)