One crew member was hurt when Spirit Airlines’ aircraft to Haiti was forced to divert to the Dominican Republic due to what seemed to be gunshots during the flight’s descent.
Following what appeared to be gunfire on Monday, a Spirit Airlines flight headed for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was forced to divert to Santiago, Dominican Republic.
One flight attendant suffered minor injuries in the unexpected incident, but no passengers were harmed.
At the time of the shooting, Flight NK951 was traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. A Spirit Airlines representative said that following the plane’s safe landing in Santiago, a detailed examination showed damage consistent with gunfire.
Upon arrival, the injured flight attendant was given medical attention, and a replacement aircraft was scheduled to take the crew and passengers back to fort lauderdale.
Spirit Airlines canceled all flights to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien until additional safety checks are completed.
Two U.S. carriers serving Haiti, American Airlines and JetBlue, are allowing passengers to change their itinerary without charge through Nov. 16 as the result of the Port-au-Prince airport being closed temporarily.
The incident points to the broader persistent challenges facing Haiti, for whom a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” recommendation has remained in place since September with growing civil unrest and violence.
Spirit Airlines reiterated that the safety of its passengers and crew members always remains their top priority, and before continuing operation, it will assess the situation.
