Miami, US, Nov 11 (EFE) – Spirit Airlines Flight 951, which was flying between the Fort Lauderdale, US, and Port-au-Prince, was diverted on Monday after being hit by gunfire as it approached the Haitian capital.
After the incident, the plane was diverted to Cibao International Airport in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, where a subsequent inspection confirmed gunshot damage to the fuselage.
A flight attendant reportedly suffered minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel; the airline confirmed that no engers were injured.
Dominican President Luis Abinader refered to the incident during his customary press conference on Monday.
“This was a terrorist act; the countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed gangs as terrorist groups,” Abinader said.
The damaged plane has been grounded and the 48 engers are waiting for another Spirit Airlines plane at the airport, airport sources told EFE.
“The safety of our Guests and Team is our top priority,” the airline said in a statement.
In addition, sources from the Dominican National Drug Control Directorate at the Santiago terminal told EFE that the plane made an emergency landing at the Cibao International Airport at 12:33 local time “without any problems.”
Spirit Airlines has suspended service to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further assessment.
American Airlines and Jet Blue said they would also suspend flights to Haiti until Thursday.
Political tensions in Haiti rose Monday after the country’s presidential council removed Prime Minister Garry Conille from office and appointed Alix Didier Fils-Aime on Sunday.
A rift between the prime minister and the presidential council had been rising for weeks after Conille refused a request to replace the heads of the justice, finance, defense, and health ministries; instead he demanded the resignation of three council following corruption allegations.
The announcement sparked new threats from the main gang coalition, Vivre Ensemble (Living Together), led by former policeman Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue.
Between July and September alone, at least 1,223 people were killed and 522 injured as a result of violence and gang fighting in Haiti, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in the Caribbean.
Additionally, 3,900 people were killed or wounded in the first half of 2024, and 2023 closed with about 8,000 victims. EFE
rsl-acm-emi/mcd
