Passenger plane flying from the US to Haiti hit by gunfire

According to a report by the Miami Herald, Spirit Airlines flight 951, which was targeted by gunfire, landed safely at Santiago Airport in the Dominican Republic.

In a statement, a Spirit Airlines spokesperson said that the aircraft, which landed at Santiago Airport, was taken out of service due to minor damage caused by bullets following initial inspections, and that only one flight attendant sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Noting that the passengers who landed in the Dominican Republic were transported back to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on a new aircraft, the spokesperson said, "The safety of our guests and team members is our top priority, and we have suspended our service in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien until further notice."

Following the incident, all commercial flights at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Haiti's capital were halted, and all US airlines also suspended flights to Port-au-Prince.

According to the United Nations (UN) Integrated Office in Haiti, 3,900 people have been killed as a result of attacks by armed gangs since the beginning of 2024, with 1,374 of those deaths occurring in the last 6 months.

Haiti, which has been struggling with fundamental problems such as political, economic, and security crises for many years, is facing the threat of famine with a population exceeding 11 million.

Violence is increasing day by day in the country, where armed gangs control 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

News Source: AA