A U.S. Spirit Airlines flight en route between Fort Lauderdale Airport, north of Miami (USA), and Port-au-Prince (Haiti) has been diverted this Monday after being hit by gunfire while approaching the Caribbean capital.
Spirit Flight 951 took off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) bound for the Haitian city but had to abort its landing after being shot at several times, according to U.S. media reports. The incident caused the plane to be diverted to Cibao International Airport in Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic).
Once the plane landed, an inspection was carried out which confirmed firearm damage to the fuselage. Apparently, a flight attendant sustained minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel, but the airline has confirmed that no passengers were injured.
The plane has been removed from service and Spirit is arranging the relocation of passengers and crew. to Fort Lauderdale on another aircraft. “The safety of our passengers and crew members is our top priority,” the airline said in a statement.
Spirit Airlines has suspended service to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien. pending further evaluation. American Airlines and Jet Blue announced that they will also suspend flights to Haiti through Thursday.
Haiti is under political tension as it awaits the businessman’s Alix Didier Fils-Aime is sworn in as the country’s new prime minister. following the dismissal of Garry Conille and amid the announcement by armed gangs that violence will increase from Monday.
The attack on the Spirit plane takes place in the middle of the armed gang violence and new threats from the main gang coalition, Vivre Ensemble (Living Together), which on Sunday announced new days of terror starting Monday.
Between July and September alone, at least 1,223 people died and 522 were injured in Haiti as a result of violence and gang fighting, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in the Caribbean country (Binuh).
Added to this are the 3,900 victims between dead and injured in the first half of the year.after 2023 closed with some 8,000 victims.