Two commercial airplanes, one from Spirit Airlines and the other from JetBlue, were shot at on Monday while operating at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Flight 951 of Spirit Airlines, coming from Fort Lauderdale and headed to Port-au-Prince, was struck by gunfire while attempting to land in the Haitian capital.
The situation forced the pilots to redirect the plane to Cibao International Airport in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
In a statement, Spirit Airlines confirmed that the inspection of the aircraft revealed damage consistent with bullet impacts.
Although a flight attendant sustained minor injuries from debris caused by one of the missiles, there were no reported injuries among the passengers.
In light of the increasing danger, Spirit Airlines announced the temporary suspension of its flights to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien.
According to sources from the Miami Herald, the attack occurred in a context of extreme violence in Haiti, where armed gangs have gained ground, especially in areas near the main airport in Port-au-Prince.
In response to the attack, the Haitian government suspended all commercial flights to prevent further incidents.
In addition to Spirit, airlines such as Air Caraibes and Amerijet Cargo were also forced to reroute or cancel flights to the Haitian capital.
A JetBlue flight, which had just taken off from Port-au-Prince en route to New York, was also struck by a bullet.
However, the damages were only detected after an inspection on the ground at JFK Airport in New York. In light of this situation, JetBlue suspended its operations to Haiti until December 2.
American Airlines has suspended its flights between Miami and Port-au-Prince until this Thursday, November 14, although it reported that it will continue to assess the security situation to determine when to resume its operations.
The United States Embassy in Haiti issued a travel alert warning that the airport closure is due to efforts led by gangs to block access to Port-au-Prince, and that the risk of armed violence and disruptions on roads and at ports is high.
In its statement, the embassy emphasized that "the security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous," and warned American citizens about the risks of traveling in that country.
Background of violence at Port-au-Prince airport
This is not the first incident in which commercial aircraft have been attacked in the airspace of Port-au-Prince.
In October, a United Nations helicopter came under fire from criminal gangs and had to return to the airport.
Violence has alarmingly increased in the vicinity of Toussaint Louverture International Airport, where gangs have intensified their activities and threats, impacting safe transit to and from the capital.
Jimmy Cherizier, known as "Barbecue," leader of the gang coalition called Vivre Ensemble, recently urged residents to avoid traveling through the capital, anticipating an escalation of violence in Haiti.
On Sunday, Cherizier, a former police officer turned armed gang leader, declared that "the battle will start again" and urged the population to "stay home" to avoid exposure to the dangers.
In a recorded message posted on social media, Cherizier defended the violence of his followers, stating that it is necessary to "take control of the country's destiny."
The Spirit incident occurred just hours before the inauguration of Haiti's new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who was appointed by the Transitional Presidential Council, which removed the previous Prime Minister Garry Conille.
Fils-Aimé's arrival at the head of government has sparked controversy and added political tension in a country experiencing a severe crisis of security and governance.
International measures and humanitarian context
Despite the efforts of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS), led by Kenya and backed by the United Nations, violence continues to escalate in the country.
The UN reported that in the first nine months of 2024, violence in Haiti has claimed the lives of over 4,900 people, amid a situation of extreme poverty and territorial conflicts between gangs.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, issued a statement on Monday urging Haiti's political forces to put their differences aside and "put the country first," while the MINUSTAH reaffirmed its commitment to working for Haiti's security and stability.
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