The first of 53 Haitian orphans is carried off an Air Force plane at Pittsburgh International Airport

The first of 53 Haitian orphans, whose orphanage was destroyed by last week's massive earthquake, is carried off an Air Force plane at Pittsburgh International Airport Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 in Imperial, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

CNN-haiti-orphan-arrival-pittsburgh_20100119070704_2_JPG

Large Map
  • Coverage of the Haiti Earthquake
Haiti 2 yrs later: 500K still in tents
Haiti 2 yrs later: 500K still in tents

Days after the earthquake killed their little girl and …

Pop star declared Haitian president
Pop star declared Haitian president

Michel Martelly, a popular singer known by the stage name …

Ex-Haitian president returns from exile
Ex-Haitian president returns from exile

Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide returned home …

Aristide leaving for Haiti Thursday
Aristide leaving for Haiti Thursday

Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide will leave …

Cholera takes a breather in Haiti
Cholera takes a breather in Haiti

The cholera epidemic that has raged across Haiti is claiming …

Advertisement

53 Haitian orphans arrive in Pittsburgh

Placed in group homes until adoptions are final

Updated: Tuesday, 19 Jan 2010, 11:53 AM CST
Published : Tuesday, 19 Jan 2010, 9:11 AM CST

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. (AP) - A flight carrying 53 Haitian orphans has landed at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Workers disembarked the plane, some of them carrying children in their arms, and boarded waiting buses. Other children walked off the plane, waving at onlookers.

The orphans will be taken to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for medical care and be placed in group homes until their adoptions are finalized.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and other officials escorted the orphans from Haiti, where they and their American caretakers spent days in dire need of food and water after last week's massive earthquake.

The families of two Pittsburgh sisters working at the orphanage used Twitter and Facebook to spread the word about their plight, prompting Monday's evacuation.


Advertisement
Advertisement

Advertisement