Spain to Coordinate EU aid for Haiti

Spain – the current rotating EU Presidents, will coordinate European Union aid to the victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake, sources of the cooperation secretary of state's office said Wednesday.

Eighteen Spanish rescue specialists were also preparing to travel to the Caribbean country on Wednesday.

They included eight members of Firefighters Without Frontiers and 10 members of the non-governmental organization Intervencion, Ayuda y Emergencias. The specialists will bring seven sniffer dogs.

The first 72 hours were crucial for saving lives, the firefighters' representative Enrique Fernandez said.

The Spanish government and Red Cross were also planning to send aid to Haiti through the Dominican Republic and Panama.