Bahamasair suspended flights to Haiti after a passenger plane from the US was struck by gunfire as it attempted to land in Port-au-Prince.
The incident led to a crew member of Spirit Airlines Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, sustaining minor injuries, and the plane was diverted to the Dominican Republic, where it landed safely at Santiago Airport.
No passengers were hurt in the attack, the second in three weeks on aircraft flying over Haiti’s capital.
The big picture
The gunshots occurred on the same day as Haitian officials swore in a new prime minister, businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti has been ensnared in chaos, with armed factions exerting control and severely disrupting the country’s economic stability.
State of play
Following this event, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert regarding gang-led efforts to disrupt travel, which may include armed violence affecting roads, ports, and airports.
The situation in Haiti remains unpredictable, and the U.S. government has advised against travel to the country due to safety concerns.
In response to the incident, Bahamas Air suspended its services in Haiti for security reasons.