A third US plane was shot at by gangs while flying over Haiti on Monday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to ban flights to the country for 30 days.
An inspection Tuesday revealed that an American Airlines plane bound for Miami was hit by a bullet as it departed 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 to 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 plane was shot at as it left the capital at the same time on Monday.
The FBI has launched an investigation into all three incidents, C.B.S. reported.
American Airlines announced that it will suspend all flights to Port-au-Prince until February
Touissant L’Overture International Airport to remain closed until November 18 in light of rampant gang violence
American Airlines announced that it will suspend all flights to Port-au-Prince until February.
The airline told DailyMail.com: “We will continue to monitor the situation with safety in mind and will adjust our operation as necessary.”
TO warning sent Tuesday temporarily prohibited U.S. planes from flying within 10,000 feet of Haitian airspace.
TO statement of the US Embassy in Haiti says: ‘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 fired at a Spirit Airlines plane caused the flight to divert, injuring a flight attendant
‘The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous. Travel within Haiti is undertaken at your own risk. The US government cannot guarantee your safety when traveling to airports, borders, or during any subsequent 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 part of the rampant gang violence sparked by the swearing-in of Haiti’s new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime.
U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said there were 20 documented armed conflicts on Monday, a day after taking the oath of office.
Regarding peacekeeping efforts, the Haitian council wrote in a statement: ‘This cowardly crime, which threatens the sovereignty and security of Haiti, aims to isolate our country on the international stage.
A JetBlue flight was hit by gang gunfire as it took off from Haiti on Monday.
“The perpetrators of these atrocious acts will be pursued and brought to justice.”
The UN estimated that gangs control 85 percent of the capital.
Dujarric warned that gang violence and unrest are detrimental to the country’s interests as they are “limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel.”
Shootouts broke out elsewhere in Haiti’s capital between gangs and police. Bursts of gunfire echoed through the streets as heavily armed officers hid behind walls and civilians fled in terror.
In other upper-class areas, gangs burned down houses. Schools closed as panic spread in several areas.
The unrest comes a day after a council aimed at restoring democratic order in the Caribbean nation fired interim Prime Minister Garry Conille, replacing him with Fils-Aimé.
An American Airline plane was hit by a bullet while taking off 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 gangs have long taken advantage of political turmoil to seize power, shut down airports and seaports and cause chaos.