A Spirit Airlines flight bound for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was forced to redirect to Santiago, Dominican Republic, after the aircraft sustained damage attributed to gunfire. Spirit Airlines Flight 951, which had taken off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport this morning, landed safely in Santiago. The airline confirmed the incident, with one flight attendant sustaining minor injuries, though no passenger injuries have been reported. CBS News reported that the damage was consistent with gunfire according to the inspection of the aircraft.
During the incident, the flight was proceeding to Haiti's capital when, after circling over parts of Haiti and the Port-au-Prince area, it was diverted. Following the safe landing at Cibao International Airport, it was discovered by officials that debris from the gunfire was responsible for the injuries sustained by the flight attendant. As reported by NBC Miami, Spirit has temporarily suspended its services to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien as they further evaluate the situation.
"The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority," the airline stated, reinforcing their immediate response to the crisis. Subsequently, Spirit Airlines is actively arranging alternate transportation to return affected passengers and their crew back to Fort Lauderdale. Meanwhile, the airplane involved is out of service for a thorough examination and investigation, as per NBC Miami.
Details surrounding the source of the gunfire and the trajectory that allowed it to strike the aircraft mid-flight remain nebulous. The Association of Flight Attendants, confirming the injury of the flight attendant to CBS News, noted the injuries were due to debris.
