US Aviation Regulator Suspends Flights to Haiti for 30 Days Following Aircraft Attacks

The aviation regulatory body of the United States has imposed a suspension on flights operated by American airlines to Haiti for a minimum period of 30 days. This decision follows a series of three separate firearm attacks on aircraft originating from the Caribbean country within a single day. On Monday, planes belonging to JetBlue, Spirit, and American Airlines sustained bullet damage after their arrival in Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital. During the assault targeting the Spirit aircraft, a flight attendant sustained minor injuries; however, no passengers were harmed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently issued a Notice to Air Missions (Notam) on Tuesday, prohibiting flights due to “safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing security instability.” The nation, recognized as the poorest in the Americas, has been afflicted by escalating gang violence since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The United Nations reports that over 3,600 individuals have been killed in Haiti since January, and more than 500,000 have been displaced from their residences. Haiti maintains strong ties with the United States, where a significant Haitian diaspora resides. Currently, US flights are prohibited from operating within 10,000ft (3,048m) of Haiti’s territory and airspace. In a related development, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed its involvement in the inquiry concerning the shooting incident involving the Spirit aircraft. The agency stated, “The FBI is aware of the incident and working with our law enforcement partners. As this is an ongoing matter, we don’t have any further comment.” The three American airlines implicated in the incidents had already independently ceased their flight operations following the assaults. The US embassy in Haiti issued a statement indicating its awareness of “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince” and affirmed that the nation’s security environment continued to be “unpredictable and dangerous.” The attacks on Monday coincided with the inauguration of a new prime minister in Haiti. According to AFP news agency, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé declared that his primary objective was “restoring security.” On Tuesday, the US State Department implored Haiti’s leadership to set aside individual interests and focus on the nation’s restoration. A statement from the department asserted, “The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.