INDIALANTIC, Fla. -- Half of a Brevard County church group returned home safely after being stranded in Haiti as rioting broke out in the country's capitol city this past week.

  • Brevard mission group returns home from Haiti
  • Riots have broken in out in Haiti's capitol Port-au-Prince
  • Group had to split up to return to Brevard

Spectrum News was there for the happy homecoming, but they are still concerned for those they had to leave behind.

Six members of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church's "Hearts Out to Haiti Mission" group were relieved as they pulled up to the church. 

The missionaries were greeted by church members late Tuesday afternoon after flying back to Fort Lauderdale.

Among them, Veronica Brace, whose 20-year-old son Eddie and 17-year-old daughter Elena were in the group that found themselves in the middle of riots in Haiti's capitol Port-au-Prince.

The violent protests were over a government-mandated hike in gas prices.

"They are usually in mountain areas, where it's very tranquil and the people are very gracious, but it's the city where the violence is, so that was the problem," Brace said.

Rioters have been burning tires and cars.

U.S. officials warned tourists and missionaries to stay where they were.

The Brevard group hunkered down inside a church in Haiti.

The protesters had set up roadblocks, making it difficult for anyone to travel safely.

The group says they finally got the go ahead to make their way to the airport, but it happened fast.

"We are literally grabbing stuff, shoving our stuff in bags," Margie Ruiz said.

They saw masked men as they drove.

Fear set in, but they made their flight, and landed in Florida.

While they had no choice to split up, they are anxiously waiting for the remainder of the group to get back home.

"If I were to be stranded again, I would want to be stranded with these people," Brace said.

The five remaining missionaries are expected home Thursday or Friday, depending on flights.