Fifteen passengers of 48 on board Spirit Airlines flight NK951 that narrowly escaped a gang attack at Port-au-Prince Airport on Monday, 11 November 2024, made their way into Haiti entering by the Dajabon land border to reach the nearby community of Ouanaminthe in Haiti.
The Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Port-au-Prince, Haiti was fired upon by Haitian gangs while attempting to land in Port-au-Prince.
The pilot requested permission to instead land at the Cibao International Airport in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
An inspection revealed evidence of bullet damage to the aircraft. At least seven bullet holes were found, reportedly the result of an assault by gangs on the ground in Haiti. The airplane remains at the Santiago airport.
The incident highlighted the escalating violence and lawlessness in Haiti, where gangs control large swaths of territory and frequently target civilians and infrastructure.
As a consequence, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) of the United States ordered a 30-day ban on commercial flights to Haiti. American Airlines announced the suspending of flights to Haiti through 12 February 2025. AA operated flights from Miami to Port-au-Prince.
The United Nations also announced the temporary suspension of humanitarian aid to Haiti due to the impossibility of accessing sea and air ports, given the worsening of the security level in Haiti.
In March 2024, the Dominican Republic had suspended commercial air traffic with Haiti, maintaining the shutdown despite protests by the Haitian authorities. The authorities of Haiti in protest refused to participate in the inaugural events of the second term of President Luis Abinader in August 2024. The Dominican government has defended the measure arguing national security reasons.
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Diario Libre
Listin Diario
El Dia
El Dia
El Caribe
Voice of America
DR1 News
13 November 2024