A special United Airlines flight is en route to Chicago this afternoon from Haiti with about 75 evacuees, an airline spokeswoman said. Earlier in the day, the airline dropped off several dozen relief workers and supplies.
The flight is scheduled to land at O’Hare International Airport shortly after 9 p.m., having made a brief refueling stop in Puerto Rico.
The airline planned to transport 15,000 pounds of water donated by Walgreens, nearly 400 tents from Feed the Children and communications equipment from Airline Ambassadors.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it is preparing to care for children who might be arriving. The children will not officially be placed in state custody, spokesman Kendall Marlowe said.
Marlowe said medical officials would screen Haitians while they are processed for entry into the U.S.
Marlowe would not comment about where the children would be housed upon their arrival in Chicago to protect their privacy. He said some of the children might already be in the pipeline for adoption.
United plans up to 30 more relief flights to Haiti.
Several charter flights have arrived in the U.S. in the last 24 hours to bring in children along with adults who need medical care.
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