Haiti’s international airport shut down on Monday after gangs opened fire at a commercial flight landing in Port-Au-Prince, prompting some airlines to suspend operations as the country swore in a new interim prime minister who promised to restore peace.
The Spirit Airlines flight headed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-Au-Prince was just hundreds of feet from landing in Haiti’s capital when gangs shot at the plane, striking a flight attendant who suffered minor injuries, according to the airline, the US embassy and flight tracking data.
The flight was diverted and landed in the Dominican Republic. No other passenger injuries have been reported.
The shooting forced authorities at Toussaint Louverture international airport to ground all commercial flights. Flight tracking showed both JetBlue Airways and Amerijet cargo planes turning away from Haiti in the wake of the gunfire.
In a security alert issued on Monday, the US embassy said it was aware of the airport’s pause in operations and of “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince which may include armed violence, and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports”.
In a statement, the airline said: “Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Port-au-Prince (PAP) diverted and landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI). Following the flight’s arrival at STI, an inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire.”
Spirit said the plane that was shot had been taken out of service and a different aircraft would be used to return guests and crew to Fort Lauderdale today.
Spirit, JetBlue Airways and American Airlines said Monday they were cancelling flights to and from Haiti.
JetBlue subsequently said it would extend its halt through 2 December after damage from a bullet to a plane returning from Port-au-Prince was discovered. The airline said its Flight 935 arrived later on Monday in New York without reporting any issues but a post-flight inspection later identified that the aircraft’s exterior had been struck by a bullet.
In other parts of Haiti’s capital, firefights between gangs and police broke out. Rounds of gunfire echoed through the streets as heavily armed officers ducked behind walls and civilians ran in terror. In other upper class areas, gangs set fire to homes. Schools closed as panic spread in a number of areas.
Monday marked at least the second time in recent weeks that gunfire from armed gangs struck an aircraft traveling over Port-au-Prince. In October, gang gunfire struck a United Nations helicopter, forcing it to return to the airport. No one was injured.
Politically connected gangs in March mounted an alarming insurrection that toppled Haiti’s prime minister, freed more than 4,600 prisoners from jail, closed the airport in Port-au-Prince and cut the city off from the world. Residents have not seen any sign as to when authorities may seize control of the capital from the gangs.
On Monday, Haiti’s transitional presidential council appointed the entrepreneur and former senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the new prime minister, according to the country’s official gazette.
Didier Fils-Aimé replaces Garry Conille, who was named prime minister in May, who was fired after a stint plagued with political infighting.
Associated Press and Reuters contributed reporting
