Gunfire hits Spirit Airlines flight approaching Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The main international airport in Haiti’s capital is closed after the plane is diverted to the Dominican Republic.

All commercial flights have been suspended to Haiti’s international airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince, after a Spirit Airlines flight from the United States was hit by gunfire while making its final approach.

A spokesman for Spirit Airlines confirmed that Monday’s flight from Fort Lauderdale in South Florida was diverted and landed safely in Santiago, the capital of the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

After the flight’s arrival, “an inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire,” Spirit spokesman Tommy Fletcher said.

“One flight attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel. No guest injuries were reported,” he added.

As a result, he said, Spirit suspended its service to Port-au-Prince and Haiti’s second largest city, Cap-Haitien, “pending further evaluation”.

American Airlines also announced it was suspending its daily service to Port-au-Prince until November 14.

Local officials confirmed that Port-au-Prince airport was closed to all flights after the incident.

Photographs and a video obtained by Al Jazeera appeared to show several bullet holes in the interior of the plane, an Airbus A321, including the overhead luggage compartments.

Haiti is mired in a deepening humanitarian crisis due to years of gang violence that have forced more than 700,000 people from their homes and deepened already devastating poverty and hunger.

An escalating gang war in Haiti has killed almost 4,000 people this year, according to the United Nations.

Monday’s incident is the second time this year that the busy Port-au-Prince airport has been closed, after operations were suspended in March for almost three months. It also comes hours before the installation of a new prime minister after the collapse of the government over the weekend.

It is also the second time in the past months that an aircraft travelling over Port-au-Prince was struck by suspected gunfire from gangs. Last month, a UN helicopter with 18 people on board was hit by gang gunfire. No one was injured, and it was able to land safely.

The United States embassy in Haiti was also forced to evacuate some of its nonessential diplomatic staff after gunmen targeted two of its vehicles. No personnel were injured.

Gang attacks, however, disrupted plans to send a group of diplomatic staff back home.

Survivors of a deadly gang attack in central Haiti in early October described waking up to gunfire and walking for hours in search of safety in the aftermath of the assault that killed almost 100 people.

On October 18, the UN Security Council extended an arms embargo on Haiti because of grave concerns over the high levels of gang violence.