Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty Images The flight from Fort Lauderdale was diverted to the Dominican Republic on Monday and one flight attendant was injured, the airline said in a statement. The plane landed safely, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration.
“An inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire,” Spirit said. “One flight attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel. No guest injuries were reported.”
The company said it was stopping service to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and the northern city of Cap-Haitien “pending further evaluation.” American Airlines Group Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp. also suspended operations to Haiti starting Monday afternoon through Thursday, with American attributing it to “civil unrest.”
In a separate statement, the US Embassy in Haiti said operations at the country’s main international airport, the Toussaint-Louverture, had been shut down, a result 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.” The FAA said two other US flights bound for the airport in Port-au-Prince were diverted as a precaution.
The incident marks an escalation of violence for the hemisphere’s poorest nation.
More than 4,900 people have been murdered this year in Haiti, the UN says, and over 700,000 have been displaced as gangs seized control of large parts of the country. More than 5.4 million people, or about half the population, is going hungry.
Local politicians have failed to contain the violence, their efforts mired in infighting. On Sunday, Prime Minister Garry Conille was voted out by a transitional council less than six months into his term, casting doubt on the government’s ability to organize long-overdue elections.
The airport is particularly critical at a time of massive migration out of Haiti. An estimated 1.1 million people of Haitian descent live in the US, with almost half of them living in Florida. Daily flights to Haiti cost about $400 round trip, on multiple carriers.
Back in March, gangs had already successfully shut down the airport after a massive prison break. Then in June, the first contingent of a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Force arrived in the country, tasked with stabilizing Haiti.
On Monday, the security force said in a statement it would continue to secure “critical government infrastructure” and support the Haiti National Police in their fight against gangs.