In a stark reminder of Haiti’s escalating violence, a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale was struck by gunfire as it approached Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. The attack injured a flight attendant and forced the plane, which was just meters from landing, to divert to the Dominican Republic. Footage circulated on social media, reportedly filmed by an airline employee, showed bullet damage near the plane’s rear door, with visible holes in the overhead lockers. In response, all flights in and out of the airport were immediately suspended, as confirmed by the U.S. embassy in Haiti.
Shortly afterward, another flight—a JetBlue plane bound for New York—was hit by a bullet during takeoff from Port-au-Prince. Although the JetBlue flight landed safely, a post-flight inspection revealed damage to the aircraft’s exterior. The airline extended its suspension of all flights to Haiti until December 2, pending further investigations in collaboration with local authorities.
These incidents come amid a backdrop of growing insecurity as Alix Didier Fils-Aime, a businessman, was recently sworn in as Haiti’s interim prime minister. He replaced Garry Conille, who served just six months before being dismissed due to the worsening crisis. In his inaugural speech, Fils-Aime emphasized restoring national security and pledged to tackle the gang violence that has paralyzed the nation. He underscored that his top priorities are securing the country, restoring peace, and holding long-overdue elections; Haiti has not held elections since 2016, with escalating gang violence cited as a primary barrier.
Gang control has expanded significantly across the capital, with criminal groups reportedly holding influence over 80% of Port-au-Prince and major transit routes. Key infrastructure, including Toussaint Louverture International Airport, has been directly affected by gang activity. Earlier this year, coordinated assaults by armed groups forced the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry after gangs seized police stations, stormed Haiti’s largest prisons, and opened fire on the airport, causing it to shut down for nearly three months. Under Conille’s leadership, the violence continued to spiral, including a recent massacre in Pont-Sonde, where gangs killed 70 people in October, and an incident in which a United Nations helicopter was targeted and hit by bullets.
Addressing the nation, Fils-Aime acknowledged the urgent need to restore security. “Security of the people, security of the goods and infrastructures, food security, and freedom of movement across the entire national territory,” he said, outlining his administration’s focus on stabilizing Haiti amid its persistent turmoil.
