Flying isn’t always fun, especially this time of year as winter weather begins to threaten travel plans. That said, I will keep my mouth shut next time my flight is delayed because it could always be worse. How worse? A Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Port-au-Prince was literally shot at while trying to land in Haiti’s capital Monday.
Flight 951 departed the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and headed to Toussaint Louverture International Airport but was ultimately diverted to the Dominican Republic when the plane and ground crews became aware of the gunfire. According to the Miami Herald, a flight attendant was grazed by one of the bullets but her injuries were deemed minor and not life-threatening. No passenger injuries were reported.
Passengers told the Miami Herald they could hear “clack, clack, clack…the metal inside the plane and the plastic just cracking” after the the pilot had already lowered the landing gear and the plane was on final approach. It didn’t take long for the passengers to “sense the plane pressure changing they knew they had been shot at.”
Spirit Airlines flight NK951 attempting to land in Haitian capital Port-au-Prince has been struck by gunfire, forcing it to be diverted to the Dominican Republic.
At least one person, a flight attendant, was grazed by a bullet, a source said.
All flights in and out of the… pic.twitter.com/NBBOzvRRmI
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11, 2024
All domestic airlines immediately suspended inbound flights into Port-au-Prince’s international airport, while the Federal Aviation Administration advised pilots that all air traffic operations were suspended until further notice. It appears that American Airlines will resume flights on Thursday, but it’s unclear how other airlines will proceed.
The gunfire appears to have originated from the Clercin area, which is said to be the epicenter of the country’s gang war. Last month, a United Nations helicopter was also struck by gunfire and was forced to return to the airport. No injuries were reported then.
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