An Airbus A320neo
, operated by Spirit Airlines
, was the target of gunfire during its approach in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti on Monday. The violent event prompted the flight crew to divert to the Dominican Republic, and the aircraft has been taken out of service.
One flight attendant was injured from the ordeal and has reportedly been evaluated by medical personnel. Upon inspection of the aircraft, bullet holes were not only found on its underside, but also in the cabin near a door and on the overhead bins.
Details of the incident
The flight, NK951, originated at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
. The aircraft, registered as N966NK, pushed back from gate G12 five minutes early at 09:05. By 09:17, it was airborne, taking off to the west. It turned north and then back east before reaching its cruising altitude of 39,000 feet about 25 minutes later, according to FlightAware.
Photo: Raleigh–Durham International Airport
One hour and 13 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft began its initial descent. After another 25 minutes, the plane had lined up for its final approach on runway 28 at Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP). At approximately 10:57, the aircraft was near its touchdown at 800 feet, but then data shows it aborted landing and climbed in altitude. It continued straight out and reached an altitude of 8,000 feet before turning north to reroute to Santiago, Dominican Republic.
Photo: FlightRadar24
N966NK climbed to 15,000 feet as it headed northeast, and then reached 17,000 feet. 20 minutes later, the aircraft landed safely at Cibao International Airport (STI) at 11:33.
Safety is a top priority
According to CBS News, there were 48 passengers on the flight. Spirit confirmed the incident to Simple Flying on Monday and said the passengers would be taken back to Fort Lauderdale once a replacement aircraft arrived.
“Spirit Airlines flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Port-au-Prince (PAP) diverted and landed safely in Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI). Following the flight’s arrival at STI, an inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire. One Flight Attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel. No Guest injuries were reported. The plane has been taken out of service, and we are arranging for a different aircraft to return our Guests and crew to FLL today. The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority, and we have suspended our service at Port-au-Prince (PAP) and Cap-Haitien (CAP) pending further evaluation.”
Videos and photos of N966NK show the fuselage and interior dotted with bullet holes.
Suspending service
The aircraft was scheduled to operate as NK952 back to Fort Lauderdale, but that flight has since been canceled. Since Spirit has suspended all flights to Port-au-Prince, it is unclear how the carrier will accommodate passengers booked on the flight. Other inbound flights were rerouted following the incident.
“Two other flights bound for Toussaint Louverture International Airport were diverted as a precaution,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
told Simple Flying on Monday. “The airport is now closed.”
CNN reported that Sunrise Airways, which is based in Port-au-Prince, has suspended all flights until further notice, while American Airlines and JetBlue Airways have canceled flights until Thursday.
Haiti has been plagued by civil violence and political activity for several months. Earlier this year, gang activity forced Toussaint Louverture International Airport to close. In October, US embassy vehicles were targeted by gunfire, which caused 20 staffers to evacuate, according to CNN.