Bullets Pierce Spirit Airlines Flight Over Haiti – Flight Attendant Wounded And Overhead Bins Shot Up – View from the Wing

Back in May I outlined new security procedures as American Airlines restarted service to Port-au-Prince, Haiti following planes being hit by bullets at the airport as violent gangs under the direction of Jimmy Chérizier (“Barbecue”) attacked.

Airline crew travel the world, including to some unstable places. They face personal risks as they travel between airports and their hotels, like the American Airlines crew that was robbed at gunpoint before a San José, Costa Rica to Miami flight. And that’s a destination generally considered relatively safe.

Now, though, a Spirit Airlines plane was hit by bullets while flying over Port-au-Prince. They landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic, however a flight attendant was reportedly grazed by a bullet. Video from crew inside the aircraft show bullet holes.

Yon avion Spirit ki tap soti Fort Lauderdale pou rantre Aeroport International Toussaint Louverture pran bal. Li vire ale ateri San Doming! #Haiti pic.twitter.com/lUgxZaTMm4

— _Nadine|01katarina.eth (@_01Katarina) November 11, 2024

Avion Spirit ki te gen pou li ateri pran anpil bal. Li vire ale ateri San Doming. #Haiti pic.twitter.com/Ujgze2uW51

— _Nadine|01katarina.eth (@_01Katarina) November 11, 2024

Aviation watchdog JonNYC reports,

Most majors suspending for a few days “These guys took gunfire this morning about 10 miles out and diverted to the DR. AA and B6 suspending service”

Haiti’s problems are often blamed on French colonialism and reparations taken by France after the country’s independence. But those were expunged in 1947. What’s striking is the economic divergence of Haiti and the Dominican Republic starting in the 1960s. The two countries started the period with a similar standard of living. The D.R.’s has grown eight-fold, while Haiti’s has not improved in 70 years. That’s suggestive, at least, that Haiti’s problems are home-grown including massive corruption. Disney used to manufacture there! It was largely replaced by the drug trade.