CNN’s Patrick Oppmann and his crew have spotted US coast guard helicopters and planes flying over the Bahamas' Grand Bahama Island early this morning in an encouraging sign for the escalation of aid efforts.
Up until now, there's been no sign of any assistance from the outside world, as it’s been a near impossible feat for planes to land on the island with the Grand Bahama International Airport nearly completely destroyed by the hurricane.
Oppmann described a scene of “total devastation" at the airport this week, after the storm surge submerged the airport for two days, tearing apart some of its terminals and leaving planes scattered “like toys.”
The airport has been too dangerous to enter so far, as it is littered with metal and concrete – and no one has been able to come to do a damage assessment, he reported.
He said it's been impossible to imagine a plane landing or taking off, marking a key challenge for the isolated island, where the airport is a vital link to the rest of the world.