**Spirit Airlines Flight Diverts to Santiago Due to Gunfire Damage**

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ICARO Media Group
News
11/11/2024 22h48

**Spirit Airlines Flight Diverted After Being Hit by Gunfire**

A Spirit Airlines flight en route from Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was forced to divert to Santiago, Dominican Republic, after sustaining gunfire damage, the airline confirmed.

Flight 951, which departed from Fort Lauderdale on Monday morning, landed safely at its alternate destination in Santiago. A subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed damage that was consistent with gunfire. Social media footage shared on X showed bullet holes in the emergency exit door and the overhead compartments.

One flight attendant sustained minor injuries and is currently being assessed by medical personnel, while no passenger injuries were reported. As a precaution, the affected aircraft has been taken out of service. Spirit Airlines is arranging an alternate plane to return passengers and crew to Fort Lauderdale.

The airline announced a suspension of its services to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien for further evaluation. Jet Blue Airlines and American Airlines have also suspended flights to these destinations pending further assessment.

Spirit Airlines emphasized the safety of its passengers and crew as the top priority, noting the unusual circumstances the flight encountered. The U.S. embassy also reported that Haiti's main airport was temporarily closed due to gangs attempting to seize control, compounding the difficulties in the region.

The incident occurred just hours before Haiti's ruling presidential council planned to swear in new Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, following the executive order ousting the previous Prime Minister Garry Conille. This political turmoil led the U.S. State Department to issue a travel advisory, urging Americans to avoid traveling to and from Haiti for the time being.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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