PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Port-au-Prince came under gunfire while trying to land in the Haitian capital on Monday, the Haiti National Office of Civil Aviation told ABC News.
ABC News reports that the plane was shot four times as it tried to land. One flight attendant “reported minor injuries,” and no passengers were injured, a Spirit Airlines spokesperson said in a statement Monday.
6 p.m. report:
“Most of us knew what was going on,” passenger Jean-David Desrouleaux said. “It was a moment.”
The crew diverted safely to Santiago, Dominican Republic, according to Spirit. The flight attendant was being “evaluated” by medical personnel, officials with the airline said.
The Spirit spokesperson told ABC News that “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,” a Spirit statement reads.
Later Monday, JetBlue issued a statement in which the airline indicated that one of its flight that departed from Haiti had been struck by gunfire. The statement read:
“On Monday, November 11, JetBlue flight 935 from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, landed safely at New York’s JFK Airport. While no issues were initially reported by the operating crew, a post-flight inspection later identified that the aircraft’s exterior had been struck by a bullet. We are actively investigating this incident in collaboration with relevant authorities. Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our customers and crewmembers. Due to the ongoing civil unrest in Haiti, we have made the decision to suspend all flights to and from the country through December 2. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update our plans as necessary.”
All other airlines have temporarily suspended flights at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince as well, the Haiti National Office of Civil Aviation told ABC News.
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti, in a security alert, stated that it was “aware 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.”