On Monday, flights near Haiti began taking bullets. A Spirit Airlines plane was pierced, and holes were visible inside the cabin. A flight attendant required medical attention after a bullet went through a door – causing fiberglass from the aircraft to explode and hit them on the neck and on the face. Previous reporting also included that a JetBlue flight was also hit by bullets.
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
As first reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC, an American Airlines flight was also hit. Flight AA819 from Haiti to Miami continued on its 713 mile journey and the Boeing 737 MAX landed safely with no injuries reported.
According to an American Airlines spokesperson,
On Monday, Nov. 11, American Airlines flight 819 from Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) to Miami International Airport (MIA) landed safely and uneventfully in Miami. Out of an abundance of caution, a post-flight inspection was completed, indicating the exterior of the aircraft had been impacted by a bullet. We are working closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident.
Our daily service between Miami and Port-au-Prince has now been suspended through Feb. 12. We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed.
The Port-au-Prince airport was temporarily closed as a result of the violence which occurred just as the country’s new prime minister had been sworn in. The FAA has temporarily banned flights from the U.S. to Haiti. And the U.S. Embassy there has called this “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince.”