Gunfire Forces Spirit Airlines Flight to Divert from Haiti to Dominican Republic

A Spirit Airlines flight to Port-au-Prince was redirected to the Dominican Republic after being struck by gunfire. A flight attendant was injured. No passengers were hurt. All flights in and out of the area have been halted. Armed gangs in Haiti have been targeting aircraft recently.

A Spirit Airlines flight scheduled for Port-au-Prince was diverted to the Dominican Republic on Monday after being hit by gunfire. The airline reported that the aircraft was damaged, necessitating a grounding upon arrival in Santiago. The incident resulted in an injury to a flight attendant, who was grazed by a bullet, while no passengers were harmed.

A video, allegedly filmed by a Spirit employee and circulated on social media, depicted another bullet penetrating near the back exit door and striking the overhead bin. Spirit Airlines confirmed the suspension of flights to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further assessment, amid a halt on all flights to and from Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

JetBlue announced flight cancellations to and from Haiti through Thursday, as it evaluates the need for additional cancellations. Passengers from the affected Spirit flight will return to Fort Lauderdale on an alternative aircraft. The incident follows a troubling trend of armed gangs in Haiti targeting aircraft, including a U.N. helicopter last month.

(With inputs from agencies.)