His Majesty King Abdullah II sent out a plane to evacuate the 96 Jordanian citizens stuck on the island of St. Martin, after it was left destroyed and devastated by Hurricane Irma.

The plane safely landed in St. Martin after being issued the necessary permits to cross the island’s airspace and land in its airport.

Bashir Al Rawashdeh, Head of the Operations Center Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that since the hurricane struck, the ministry has been continuously in touch with the Jordanians out on the island.

The ministry was both in direct contact with the citizens and coordinated with the island’s French and Dutch authorities to guarantee their safety, added Rawashdeh.

The shared Dutch and French Caribbean island was hit by the Category 5 hurricane Irma ten days ago.

Citizens of the island said that the 200+ miles an hour winds turned the heavenly tourist destination into a “hell,” with many wondering whether they should rebuild their homes or move abroad for a more secure and better life.

This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition with additional edits