A Spirit Airlines fight came under sustained gunfire as it came into land on Monday, forcing the pilot into an emergency diversion with one the cabin crew injured by a stray bullet
Passengers on board a Spirit Airlines flight experienced a terrifying landing on Monday morning, when their plane came under repeated gunfire as it reached its destination, Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince. In the mayhem that ensued as bullets entered the cabin, one member of the crew was hit.
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 reveal bullet holes in the overhead lockers and around the doors, after armed gangs surrounding the area 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 – while the situation on the ground in Haiti continues to get worse.
Armed gangs, like the ones that fired on the Spirit Airlines flight, now control around 80 per cent of the capital. Tragically, at the same time, Haiti’s political turmoil continues, with the country’s ruling council dismissing Prime Minister Garry Conille last weekend in a renewed struggle for power over the disaster-struck, gang-ridden, Caribbean country.
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.”
