FAA prohibits flights to Haiti for 30 days after 3 jets hit by gunfire
FORT LAUDERDALE - Hundreds of travelers hoping to leave South Florida on Tuesday for Haiti were forced to cancel plans after learning their flights had been canceled.
All major airlines have once again halted travel to the island nation due to recent gang violence. A new FAA notice prohibits U.S. civil aviation operations in Haiti airspace below 10,000 feet for the next 30 days after reports of three jets were fired upon.
It was first reported Monday a Spirit Airlines flight was apparently struck by gunfire while attempting to land at Port-au-Prince.
Then it was learned two other jets were fired upon from Port-au-Prince in Haiti: a JetBlue heading to New York's JFK Airport and an American Airlines flight bound for Miami International Airport.
The FBI is now investigating all three incidents.
On Monday morning, Valerie Victor was among the 48 passengers on board Spirit Flight 951 forced to make an unscheduled round trip back to Fort Lauderdale after their flight was disrupted by gunfire.
"We thought we were gonna die. I want to appeal to the Haitian government, these are the things we see in the movies," Victor said.
Originally bound for Port-au-Prince, the plane encountered gunfire near Toussaint Louverture International Airport, believed to be from nearby gang members.
The plane was struck multiple times while it was about 600 feet from the ground, just moments before it was scheduled to land.
One flight attendant reported minor injuries, but no injuries were reported among passengers.
The flight was diverted to Santiago, Dominican Republic, where the plane landed safely. Later in the day, the passengers were put on a different Spirit plane and flown back to Fort Lauderdale.
In a related incident, a JetBlue plane on the tarmac at the time of the shooting was also fired on. When flight 935 from Port-au-Prince landed in New York a bullet hole was found in it during a post-flight inspection.
Also Tuesday, a third US airliner, an American Airlines flight also suffered apparent damage from gunfire.
On Monday,, American Airlines flight 819 from Toussaint Louverture International Airport to Miami International Airport "landed safely and uneventfully in Miami. Out of an abundance of caution, a post-flight inspection was completed, indicating the exterior of the aircraft had been impacted by a bullet. We are working closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident," the airline said in an a statement.
The airline said service between Miami and Port-au-Prince has now been suspended through Feb. 12.
"We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed," the airline said.
The shots were reportedly fired by gang members, who in a video released Sunday, vowed more violence after the prime minister was replaced.
Prime Minister Gary Conille was ousted on Sunday and Alix Didier Fils-Aimé was installed as the new prime minister on Monday afternoon.
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a statement, advising that "the security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous. Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety."
Toussaint Louverture International Airport is now closed, and flights to and from Haiti have been canceled for the foreseeable future.
As for when flights will resume, some airlines are predicting early December.