Several airlines have suspended flights to Haiti after a passenger plane from the US was hit by gunfire as it tried to land in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Spirit Airlines Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale in Florida was diverted to the neighbouring Dominican Republic where it landed safely at Santiago Airport.

In a statement, the airline said a flight attendant suffered minor injuries but added that no passengers were hurt.

It is the second time in three weeks that an aircraft has been shot at over the Haitian capital.

Haiti is in the grip of a deep political crisis with armed gangs controlling large parts of the country.

On Monday, a new prime minister was installed by the country’s ruling transitional council after the previous leader, Garry Conille, was ousted less than six months into the job.

Conille has been replaced by businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

The Spirit Airlines flight had been scheduled to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport on Monday just before 12pm local time when it was hit.

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