Two flights from U.S. carriers were hit by gunfire over Haiti on Monday, leaving one Spirit Airlines crew member injured.
According to the State Department, these acts were likely part of “gang-led efforts” to halt travel to and from Haiti.
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First, a Spirit flight headed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was diverted to the Dominican Republic after being shot at, injuring one of the crew members.
“An inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire,” a Spirit spokesperson said. “The plane has been taken out of service, and we are arranging for a different aircraft to return our guests and crew to [Fort Lauderdale].”
While all guests seemed unharmed, “One Flight Attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel,” the statement said.
A second, New York-bound JetBlue Airways Flight was also hit shortly after takeoff near Haiti on the same day.
“While no issues were initially reported by the operating crew, a post-flight inspection later identified that the aircraft’s exterior had been struck by a bullet,” JetBlue Airways spokesman Derek Dombrowski told the Miami Herald. “We are actively investigating this incident in collaboration with relevant authorities.”
Spirit, JetBlue, and American Airlines have temporarily canceled all flights to and from Haiti out of an abundance of caution.
“Due to the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti, we have made the decision to suspend all flights to and from the country through December 2,” Dombrowski said.
A Spirit Airlines spokesperson added, “We have suspended our service at Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien pending further evaluation.”
According to Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, “This was a terrorist act.”
“The countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed gangs as terrorist groups,” Abinader said.
