A Spirit Airlines plane was hit by gunfire over Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, resulting in minor injuries to one of its crew members. The incident occurred during the airline's flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-au-Prince, which was diverted and landed in Santiago, Dominican Republic. An inspection revealed damage consistent with gunfire on the aircraft. The injured flight attendant received medical evaluation, and no other injuries were reported. Spirit has suspended services to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, with the affected aircraft taken out of service.
Following the incident, Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince paused operations. Sunrise Airways, a Haitian-based airline, suspended flights until further notice. US carriers JetBlue and American Airlines cancelled flights to and from Haiti until Thursday.
Haiti has been facing widespread gang activity and political chaos for nearly a year. Recent incidents include a United Nations helicopter being hit by bullets and gangs targeting US embassy vehicles with gunfire. Coordinated gang attacks in late February and early March led to the closure of the airport and main seaport, affecting vital supplies of food and humanitarian aid.
The latest incident occurs amidst political turmoil, with Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council voting to replace Prime Minister Garry Conille. The council declared the appointment of businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the new prime minister, following Conille's resignation earlier this year amid escalating gang violence.
