US Airlines Suspend Haiti Flights After Gunfire Hits Spirit Plane Near Port-au-Prince

No casualties were recorded but the Spirit plane took severe damages.

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People board a flight run by JetBlue airlines to repatriate US citizens or green card holders at Toussaint Louverture International Airport on June 26, 2020 in Port-au-prince, Haiti. - After more than three months of closure, the airport of Port-au-Prince will reopen on June 30 to the public, adapting its infrastructure to reduce the risks of Covid-19, the spread of which is slowing down in the Haitian capital, according to experts. ESTAILOVE ST-VAL/AFP via Getty Images

Along with several airlines, the US has suspended flights to Haiti after a Spirit plane was struck by gunfire.

Reports stated that the plane, called Spirit Airlines Flight 951, was hit while attempting to land in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.

In a detailed report by BBC, the plane was coming from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and was diverted to Santiago, Dominican Republic where it was able to land safely. Originally, the Spirit plane was supposed to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport and the damage to the exterior of the plane was consistent with bullet marks found inside. No passengers were injured but a flight sustained minor injuries.

The airline immediately grounded the plane for inspection and has since suspended its flights to Haiti, awaiting further assessment of the safety situation. Spirit Airlines also confirmed that it would not operate flights until the situation improves.

Now, it has been the second attack on aircraft flying over Haiti's capital in just three weeks, prompting US airlines, like JetBlue and American Airlines, to follow suit and suspend all services to Haiti.

The Current Situation in Haiti

According to Amnesty International, there's increasing violence in the country primarily from armed gangs who have been targeting both civilians and international organizations.

The ongoing insecurity in Haiti has not just disrupted business and travel, but also the daily lives of nearby citizens. The gunfire took place just months after a similar attack on a UN helicopter, which also prompted temporary flight cancellations.

In response, a new Prime Minster, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, has made restoring security a top priority and promised to use all his resources to address the challenges brought by violent gangs, although it will be a difficult task considering that gangs are in control of large parts of the country.

UN consisting of officers from Kenya, which began in June, will work toward stabilizing Haiti. But until then, the suspension of flights to the nation is expected to continue.

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