Australia sends air traffic marshals to quake-hit Haiti

SYDNEY: Australia said on Saturday it would deploy a specialist air traffic control team to quake-ravaged Haiti following a US request to help restore order at the nation's jammed airports.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said a group of specially trained military air traffic marshals would leave next week for the devastated Caribbean nation in a bid to improve the flow of aid and supplies. There are over 1,400 flights waiting to get into the country as tens of thousands of desperate people struggle to meet even the most basic needs.

"Making Haiti's airspace and airports effective, safe and useable is crucial to the overall humanitarian effort," said Rudd.

"Overcoming logistical obstacles is one of the keys to making sure assistance that is being provided actually gets to the people of Haiti and making sure their airport and airports are operating effectively," he added.