Spirit Airlines Flight to Haiti Diverted After Gunfire Incident: Latest Updates and Safety Concerns | US Aviation News

Spirit Airlines Flight Diverted Due to Gunfire Over Haiti

On Monday, a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was hit by gunfire while attempting to land. Here are the key details of the incident:

Flight Details

• Flight Number: Spirit Airlines Flight 951
• Origin: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida
• Destination: Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
• Diversion: The flight was diverted to Cibao International Airport in Santiago, Dominican Republic, after being struck by gunfire.

Incident

• The aircraft was damaged by gunfire while trying to land in Port-au-Prince.
• An inspection after landing revealed evidence of damage consistent with gunfire.
• A flight attendant sustained minor injuries from debris; no passenger injuries were reported.

Safety and Response

• The plane was taken out of service following the incident.
• Spirit Airlines arranged for another aircraft to return passengers and crew to Fort Lauderdale.
• The airline has suspended its services to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further evaluation.

Broader Impact

• The incident forced authorities at Toussaint Louverture International Airport to ground all commercial flights.
• Other airlines, such as JetBlue Airways and Amerijet Cargo, rerouted their flights away from Haiti.
• The U.S. Embassy warned that the security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous, advising against travel unless absolutely necessary.

Context

• This incident is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving armed gangs in Haiti. In October, gang gunfire struck a United Nations helicopter, and in March, politically connected gangs mounted an insurrection that toppled the prime minister.
• On the same day, Haiti’s transitional presidential council appointed Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the new prime minister, replacing Garry Conille.