A military aircraft that landed at Hewanorra International Airport on Friday, December 5, raised public concern amid heightened regional military activity.
However, the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority has confirmed that the visit was solely for humanitarian purposes.
Karim Sifflet, Senior Manager for Marketing and Business Development at SLASPA, said the aircraft’s arrival was part of a charitable mission.
According to him, “the sighting of the military aircraft that was at the Hewanorra International Airport on Friday, 5th of December, its purpose was to help distribute supplies to a charitable organization that the authorities are not in a position to disclose.”
He added that the visit was unusual, stating that “it is not something that happens frequently” and that “this was just a one off basis.”
Sifflet explained that the aircraft remained on island long enough to complete its assignment. “The aircraft was on island for approximately 40 hours,” he confirmed.
He also stressed that the visit had no connection to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.
“This military aircraft had no connection to what is going on in the geopolitical space between the tension between Venezuela, Trinidad and the USA,” Sifflet said. “The sole purpose was to distribute items to a charitable organization and the public should have no fear or concerns.”
SLASPA also referenced previous instances of specialized aircraft visiting Saint Lucia for non-military reasons.
Sifflet recalled that in November 2024, “we had the hurricane aircraft tracker hunter” and noted that the authority held a community outreach activity at the time. He said, “We invited persons from the community of Vieux Fort to come take a tour of this aircraft, which provides valuable service in tracking hurricanes and providing information.”
SLASPA is encouraging the public to remain calm, reaffirming that the recent visit was strictly humanitarian and not linked to any regional military developments.