Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins was on the tarmac as 28 Floridians rescued from Jamaica landed Saturday in Tampa. Photos: Lt. Gov. Jay Collins/X

TAMPA, Fla. – A rescue plane with more than two dozen Floridians who were in Jamaica landed at Tampa International Airport on Saturday – days after Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean island, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

In a news release, DeSantis said evacuation efforts began on Halloween. The plane departed Jamaica on Saturday morning and landed in Tampa, Florida on Saturday afternoon.

Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins shared on X that he was on the tarmac to welcome those Floridians home.

Hurricane Melissa

An aerial view shows damaged buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, in Westmoreland, Jamaica, on October 31, 2025. At least 19 people in Jamaica have died as a result of Hurricane Melissa which devastated the island nation when it roared as

Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified into a strong, powerful, and destructive Category 5 hurricane before making landfall on the western side of Jamaica. It then made landfalls over Cuba and the Bahamas. 

Deaths have been reported in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, according to FOX Weather. 

The Source: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the news on Saturday, Nov. 1, in a post on X. Additional details were included in a news release issued later. Additional reporting from the National Hurricane Center, FOX Weather, and officials. 

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