Airlines cancel flights as Spirit plane hit by gunfire

On By Littum

Several airlines have suspended flights to Haiti after a passenger plane from the United States was hit by gunfire as it attempted to land in Port-au-Prince.

Spirit Airlines Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida was diverted to the nearby Dominican Republic, where it landed safely at Santiago Airport.

A flight attendant suffered minor injuries, but no passengers were hurt in the attack, the second in three weeks on a plane flying over Haiti’s capital.

The incident comes as a new prime minister took office in the crisis-hit country, which has been plagued by armed gangs and escalating violence.

Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said his priority was to “restore security”, according to the AFP news agency.

Despite the country’s “difficult circumstances”, he vowed to put all his energy, ability and “patriotism at the service of the national cause”.

The businessman, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Senate in 2015, studied at Boston University. He was installed by the country’s ruling council after the former manager, Garry Conillewas removed less than six months into the job.

The Spirit Airlines flight was scheduled to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport just before 8 p.m. 12:00 (17:00 GMT) when it was hit.

Unconfirmed video of the incident shared on social media appeared to show multiple bullet holes on the inside of the plane where the crew sits during takeoff and landing.

Spirit Airlines said damage “consistent with gunshots” had been found when the plane was inspected at Santiago Airport. The aircraft was taken out of service, Spirit added.

The airline said it had also suspended flights to Haiti “pending further evaluation”.

Two other US airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue, have also suspended flights to Haiti until at least Thursday.

The security situation has further deteriorated in Haiti in recent months. In October, gang members opened fire on a UN helicopter, prompting some airlines to temporarily cancel flights to the Caribbean nation.

A UN-backed police mission, led by officers from Kenya, had begun in June in an attempt to wrest control from the gangs.

Spirit is a low-cost airline based in Florida that flies throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.