Haiti: U.S. Halts Civil Flights After Gunfire Hits Three Aircraft
On Tuesday, the United States announced a one-month suspension of all civil flights to Haiti after gunfire targeted three planes the previous day. The U.S. government urged authorities, including the newly appointed Prime Minister, to address the ongoing crises affecting this impoverished Caribbean nation.
Haiti has been struggling with rampant violence from armed gangs that dominate 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital city, which remained largely on lockdown Tuesday due to heavy gunfire in certain neighborhoods and new threats of further attacks.
On Monday, an Airbus belonging to the low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines came under fire just before landing in Port-au-Prince and was diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic.
What could have led to a significant aviation disaster resulted in minor injuries for one crew member, and visible bullet impacts were apparent on both the fuselage and the cabin, as shown in videos circulating on social media.
Additionally, on Tuesday evening, American Airlines and JetBlue issued statements revealing that two of their planes—one en route from Port-au-Prince to Miami and the other to New York—sustained bullet damage during the same incident.
Both airlines have temporarily halted operations between the two countries. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prohibited “civil aviation operations of the United States within Haiti’s territory and airspace below 10,000 feet for a duration of 30 days.”
Starting Monday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the Haitian government to take immediate measures to secure air routes and restore confidence in the nation’s aviation sector.
This incident unfolded during the inauguration of Haiti’s new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who succeeds Garry Conille, who held the position for only five months.
Appointed by the transitional presidential council, the new head of government has pledged to “restore security” and promised to “work tirelessly towards political cohesion.”
