The emergency.lu mobile satellite units provide communications capacity in crisis regions where landline networks and other infrastructure are damaged or unavailable. The platform is a public private partnership between the government, SES, Hitec and the Luxembourg Air Rescue.

Two members of the grand ducal fire and rescue corps (CGDIS) departed in direction of Haiti on 23 August carrying three ground stations. The mobile units are designed to fit into small cases and survive commercial transport without damage.

They follow another CGDIS volunteer who travelled to Haiti last week to support a UN expert team in evaluating and coordinating emergency response efforts.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on 14 August. The death toll has risen to 2,207, authorities said on Sunday. More than 12,000 people have been injured and hundreds remain missing.

Search and rescue missions continue but convoys delivering food and other assistance have been targeted by gangs. Authorities have dispatched more police to the southern areas most affected by the earthquake that has left around 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The emergency.lu platform has previously been deployed to Syria, Nigeria, Chad, Venezuela and a host of other countries and regions that have been affected by natural disasters or conflicts.