Wealthy fled the carnage ahead... in private jets

RICH homeowners on luxury Caribbean estates struck by Irma commissioned private jets to rescue them.

As the hurricane devastated the region, those with enough cash simply paid for a plane to take them away.

One private jet charter company based in London said it had evacuated a party of 20 from the British Virgin Islands this week for over $50,000 (£38,000).

Air Charter Service said the group had contacted them a day before the storm was due to strike.

A spokesman for the firm said the airstrip on St Thomas would ‘probably be inoperable now’ and it couldn’t charter any further evacuations.

He added that the group would ‘ definitely’ have been sipping on cold drinks as they were airlifted away.

He said: ‘The private jets are very nice. I imagine that the group were thoroughly enjoying the flight... Why wouldn’t you?’