A third American plane was shot by gangs as it flew over Haiti on Monday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to ban flights to the country for 30 days.
A Tuesday inspection revealed a Miami-bound American Airlines plane was hit by a bullet while leaving Touissant L’Overture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.
No one was injured and American Flight 819 landed safely at its destination, American Airlines confirmed with DailyMail.com.
This comes after gunfire in the area forced a Spirit Airlines flight to divert its landing and injured a flight attendant. A JetBlue aircraft was shot at while leaving the capital during the same time frame on Monday.
The FBI has launched an investigation into all three incidents, CBS reported.
American Airlines announced it will suspending all flights to Port-au-Prince until February
Touissant L’Overture International Airport will be closed until November 18 in light of rampant gang violence
American Airlines announced it is suspending all flights to Port-au-Prince until February.
The airline told DailyMail.com: ‘We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed.’
A notice sent out on Tuesday temporarily prohibited American planes from flying within 10,000 feet of Haiti’s airspace.
A statement from the US Embassy in Haiti reads: ‘The US Embassy in Port-au-Prince is aware of gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince which may include armed violence, and disruptions to roads, ports, and airports.
Bullets shot at a Spirit Airlines plane caused the flight to divert, as a flight attendant was injured
‘The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous. Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk. The US government cannot guarantee your safety traveling to airports, borders, or during any onward travel.’
Touissant L’Overture airport will remain closed until November 18 and flights to Haiti will be sent to another Haitian city, Cap Haïtien.
These shootings were a part of rampant gang violence sparked by swearing in Haiti’s new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said there were 20 documented armed conflicts on Monday, a day after he was sworn in.
In peacekeeping efforts, the Haitian council wrote in a statement: ‘This cowardly crime, which threatens Haiti’s sovereignty and security, aims to isolate our country on the international stage.
A JetBlue flight was hit by gunfire from gangs as it took off from Haiti on Monday
‘The perpetrators of these heinous acts will be hunted down and brought to justice.’
The UN estimated that gangs control 85 percent of the capital.
Dujarric warned that gang violence and turmoil is detrimental to the country’s interests, as it is ‘limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel.’
In other parts of Haiti’s capital, firefights between gangs and police broke out. Rounds of gunfire echoed through the streets as heavily armed officers ducked behind walls and civilians ran in terror.
In other upper class areas, gangs set fire to homes. Schools closed as panic spread in a number of areas.
The turmoil comes a day after a council meant to reestablish democratic order in the Caribbean nation fired the interim prime minister Garry Conille, replacing him with Fils-Aimé.
An American Airline plane was hit by a bullet while departing from Haiti (not pictured)
The council has been marked by infighting and three members were recently accused of corruption.
The country has seen weeks of political chaos, which observers warned could result in even more violence in a place where bloodshed has become the new normal.
The country’s slate of gangs has long capitalized on political turmoil to make power grabs, shutting down airports, shipping ports and stirring chaos.