The Federal Aviation Administration will decide whether to ban flights to Haiti on Tuesday after gunmen shot at two different flights attempting to land there.
As of Monday, the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is closed due to the gun violence. This came after a gunshot reportedly struck a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as it was landing on the runway, forcing it to divert to the Dominican Republic’s Cibao International Airport.
“Two other flights bound for Toussaint Louverture International Airport were diverted as a precaution,” the FAA reported.
JetBlue Airlines canceled all its flights to Haiti on Monday after one of its planes was hit by gunfire as it prepared to leave for New York. The cancellations will last through Dec. 2.
Already, the State Department had a travel advisory over Haiti recommending that Americans avoid the country. This came since Haiti issued a state of emergency in March after nearly 4,000 inmates escaped one prison and another containing 1,400 prisoners was also overrun. Florida helped evacuate over 700 U.S. residents from the country due to the violence.
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“The airport in Port-au-Prince can be a focal point for armed activity. Armed robberies are common,” the State Department wrote on its website. “Carjackers attack private vehicles stuck in traffic. They often target lone drivers, especially women. As a result, the U.S. embassy requires its staff to use official transportation to and from the airport.”
On Monday, Haiti also appointed its new interim prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime. His predecessor, Garry Conille, was also an interim appointment who left the office after gang violence continued to increase under his watch.