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.<\/p>
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.<\/p>
A flight attendant reportedly suffered minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel; the airline confirmed that no passengers were injured.<\/p>
Dominican President Luis Abinader refered to the incident during his customary press conference on Monday.<\/p>
“This was a terrorist act; the countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed gangs as terrorist groups,” Abinader said.<\/p>
The damaged plane has been grounded and the 48 passengers are waiting for another Spirit Airlines plane at the airport, airport sources told EFE.<\/p>
“The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority,” the airline said in a statement.<\/p>
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.”<\/p>
Spirit Airlines has suspended service to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further assessment.<\/p>
American Airlines and Jet Blue said they would also suspend flights to Haiti until Thursday.<\/p>
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.<\/p>
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 members following corruption allegations.<\/p>
The announcement sparked new threats from the main gang coalition, Vivre Ensemble (Living Together), led by former policeman Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue.<\/p>
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.<\/p>
Additionally, 3,900 people were killed or wounded in the first half of 2024, and 2023 closed with about 8,000 victims. EFE<\/p>
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