Spirit Airlines Haiti: Plane targeted by gunfire from armed gangs while trying to land at airport with bullets hitting crew
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The flight came under sustained gunfire as it came into land on Monday (11 November) at Haiti's main airport in the capital Port-au-Prince. Bullets entered the cabin hitting one member of the crew.
The airline company has confirmed that the injured employee experienced a near miss with death, with the bullet grazing them as the plane came under fire. Images from inside the flight show bullet holes in the overhead lockers and around the doors.
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Hide AdArmed gangs reportedly surrounded the area and fired on the plane as they are attempting to take control of the country's main airport. Despite already coming into land, Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was forced to pull up and divert to the Dominican Republic.
After landing safely in Santiago, the injured crew member was taken for medical treatment, while the plane was taken out of commission due to the damage caused by the gangs' gunfire. Following the incident, all commercial flights out of Haiti's capital have been grounded, while many of the major companies flying to the country, including American Airlines and JetBlue, have stopped all routes until Thursday (14 November).
Armed gangs, like the ones that fired on the Spirit Airlines flight, now control around 80 per cent of the capital. The US Embassy in Haiti said it was aware of the plane shooting and issued an immediate security alert 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”.
Spirit Airlines said in a statement: “Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Port-au-Prince (PAP) diverted and landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI). Following the flight’s arrival at STI, an inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire. The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority, and we have suspended our service at Port-au-Prince (PAP) and Cap-Haitien (CAP) pending further evaluation.”
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