More than 17 Brazilians may have been killed in the earthquake that ravaged the capital of Haiti, a Brazilian official said Wednesday.

Rogerio Sottili, the minister of Brazilian Special Secretariat for Human Rights, told the official news agency of Brazil that earlier reports had said at least 17 Brazilians were killed in thequake.

Until now, the Brazilian Army has confirmed the death of five Brazilians - Zilda Arns Neumann, the international coordinator of the Pastoral of the Child, and four officers from the peacekeeping force.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Air Force said in a statement that it will send eight airplanes to help the victims in Haiti.

Water and food will be transported by three C-130 Hercules and a Boeing 707, which are already on standby in Rio de Janeiro, and four C-105 Amazonas, which will depart from Manaus.

The aircrafts will be sent as soon as the Port au Prince airport is reopened. The airport remained closed Tuesday night.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2010)