A Spirit Airlines flight traveling from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was diverted to the Dominican Republic after gangs opened fire at the aircraft Monday, the U.S. State Department and the airline said.
According to the airline, Spirit Airlines Flight 951 departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Monday morning and landed safely in Santiago following the incident. Haiti's international airport was temporarily shut down due to the violence, which came as a new prime minister was sworn in.
An inspection revealed damage consistent with gunfire, the airline said. A source said seven bullets went through the aircraft, hitting the cockpit and cabin. Video from inside the plane showed multiple bullet holes throughout the cabin and in the overhead bins.
The flight incident appeared to be part of what the U.S. Embassy called “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince which may include armed violence, and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports.”
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One flight attendant sustained minor injuries and was evaluated by medical personnel. Sources said a bullet went through a slide door, causing fiberglass to explode and hit the flight attendant on the face and neck. The airline confirmed no passengers were injured.
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The plane has been taken out of service, and Spirit arranged for a different aircraft to return passengers and crew to Fort Lauderdale.
"The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority," the airline said in a statement.
Passengers said they had to wait in the Dominican Republic for seven to eight hours before they were put on the flight back to FLL. Many didn't want to speak when they arrived at the airport Monday night, but one said the experience was "traumatic."
"The crew was really traumatized," he said.
Spirit Airlines has suspended its service to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further evaluation. American Airlines and JetBlue announced they will also suspend flights to Haiti through Thursday. JetBlue said a post-flight inspection of flight 935 from Port-au-Prince that landed safely at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on Monday also found that the flight's exterior had been struck by a bullet.
A pilot who was not on this flight but is familiar with the routes to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien told NBC6 that the bullets could have easily killed someone.
"It has always been a concern for pilots when flying in and out of there, to face the possibility of being shot at by the gangs that have taken over this country," said the pilot, who wanted to remain anonymous.
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 ducking 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.
The turmoil comes a day after a council meant to reestablish democratic order in the Caribbean nation fired the interim prime minister Garry Conille, replacing him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The council has been marked by infighting and three members were recently accused of corruption.
On Monday, suit-clad diplomats and security officials flocked to the swearing in ceremony, set to take place in the afternoon.
The country has seen weeks of political chaos, which observers warned could result in even more violence in a place where bloodshed has become the new normal. The country's slate of gangs have long capitalized on political turmoil to make power grabs, shutting down airports, shipping ports and stirring chaos.
The transitional council was established in April, tasked with choosing Haiti’s next prime minister and Cabinet with the hope that it would help quell violence, which exploded after Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021.
The council was meant to pave the way to democratic elections, which haven’t been held in years in Haiti. Gangs have capitalized on that power vacuum to make their own power grabs.
But the council has been plagued with politics and infighting, and has long been at odds with Garry Conille, the interim prime minister they hand picked six months ago, who they fired yesterday.
Organizations including the Organization of American States tried and failed last week to mediate disagreements in an attempt to save the fragile transition.
