U.S. Navy ships aid disaster relief in Venezuela

U.S. military forces are supporting Department of State-led disaster assistance in Venezuela following the June 24 earthquakes, with the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) and the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15) positioned to deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Fort Lauderdale arrived pierside in La Guaira on the evening of June 28 in what officials described as the first visit by a U.S. Navy vessel to Venezuela in decades. The port call, requested by the Venezuelan government, followed deliveries of urgently needed supplies by U.S. Sailors and Marines using landing craft. “Being directed at a moment’s notice to transit into Venezuela presented a vast number of unknowns, but the one absolute certainty was the unmatched professionalism and work ethic of the Fort Lauderdale team,” said Capt. Jiwan Mack, commanding officer of USS Fort Lauderdale. “We were able to safely arrive pierside and deliver immediate assistance to the Venezuelan people because of the incredible dedication of our crew.”

Officials emphasized the mission is strictly humanitarian. The ship’s self-sustaining design allows it to operate with minimal reliance on local security, logistics or port resources, enabling Venezuelan authorities to stay focused on domestic recovery.

Fort Lauderdale is serving as a coordination hub with advanced medical facilities, heavy-lift capability and robust command-and-control systems. The ship recently hosted the Venezuelan chargé d’affaires and is acting as a key communications node, enabling U.S. Southern Command to work with the State Department, interagency partners and interim Venezuelan authorities to direct rapid relief operations across affected areas.

Aviation support is underway across the region. Operating in Venezuelan territorial waters, Billings has been providing search and rescue support with embarked helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 48. Fort Lauderdale has augmented those efforts; while operating in the Caribbean Sea on June 27, embarked U.S. Marines provided flight support by signaling a UH-1Y Venom helicopter assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365 (Reinforced).

“Our naval forces are organized, equipped and trained for rapid response to any global situation, making us uniquely capable of executing foreign humanitarian assistance and disaster relief on short notice,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. “These crucial, immediate relief efforts underscore our enduring commitment to being good neighbors, proving that even in times of severe crisis, we are dedicated to the safety, security and prosperity of our citizens, interests, allies and regional partners.”

Planning for additional U.S. military support is continuing in coordination with the State Department, the Venezuelan government and international partners and allies contributing to the relief effort. Further support measures will be announced once confirmed.