The Spirit Airlines flight, which was going from Florida to Port-au-Prince, was diverted to the Dominican Republic after a flight attendant was grazed by a bullet, in a context of widespread violence in the Haitian capital.
Haiti’s international airport closed on Monday after armed groups fired at a commercial flight landing in Port-Au-Prince, prompting some airlines to suspend operations to the country.
According to, a Spirit Airlines flight, which was heading from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-Au-Prince, was just a few hundred meters away from landing in the capital of Haiti when the groups fired at the plane, hitting a hostess who suffered minor injuries, according to the airline and the US embassy.
The flight was diverted and landed in the Dominican Republic. No injuries were reported to other passengers.
The shooting forced authorities at Toussaint Louverture International Airport to suspend all commercial flights.
In a security alert issued on Monday, the US embassy said it was aware of the pause in airport and airport operations.s “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Princeqwhich may include armed violence and disruptions to roads, ports and airports.”
“Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Port-au-Prince (PAP) was diverted and landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI). Upon arrival of the flight at STI, an inspection revealed signs of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire,” the airline said in a statement.
A Spirit reported that the plane that was hit has been taken out of service and that a different plane will be used to return passengers and crew to Fort Lauderdale.
Spirit, JetBlue Airways and American Airlines said Monday they were canceling flights to and from Haiti.
JetBlue later said it would extend its shutdown through December 2after bullet damage was discovered on a plane returning from Port-au-Prince.
The airline said its Flight 935 arrived later on Monday in New York without reporting any problems, but a post-flight inspection later identified that the plane’s exterior had been hit by a bullet.
The incident comes at a time when a new interim prime minister has taken office in the country, promising to restore peace.
In other areas of Haiti’s capital, shootouts broke out between gangs and the police. Shots echoed through the streets as heavily armed authorities hid behind walls, while civilians ran in terror. Schools closed as panic spread in several areas.
In October, a United Nations helicopter was hit by bullets, forcing it to return to the airport. Nobody was injured.
In March, gangs with political connections staged a coup that overthrew Haiti’s prime minister, closed Port-au-Prince airport and isolated the city from the world. Residents have yet to see any sign of when authorities will be able to wrest control of the capital from armed groups.
On Monday, Haiti’s presidential transition council appointed businessman and former senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as new prime ministeraccording to the country’s official newspaper.
Didier Fils-Aimé replacing Garry Conilleappointed prime minister in May, who was dismissed after a period marked by political infighting.
