Haiti’s international airport has been temporarily shut down following a violent incident involving gunfire at a Spirit Airlines flight landing in Port-Au-Prince, according to reports from the U.S. State Department and the airline.
The episode unfolded as Haitian Prime Minister, <new prime minister's name>, was sworn into office amidst the deepening unrest in the country. The incident highlights the severity of the crisis gripping Haiti as gang violence and lawlessness escalate.
The airport was swiftly closed after projectiles reportedly hit a Spirit Airlines flight that was landing. Airport authorities say they immediately put a temporary hold on airport operations to assess the damage and restore a semblance of stability.
Spirit Airlines has also corroborated this information and said it was collaborating with Haitian authorities to determine the cause of the gunfire. The good news is that none of the passengers appeared to have been seriously injured, if at all. Multiple casualties are being reported but details are sketchy and information has not been confirmed.
This brazen act underscores the widespread wave of violence and gangland warfare haunting neighborhoods across Haiti, particularly in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, for months. Haitian officials and neighboring countries, plus the international community, are nervously bracing for possibly heightened social unrest and lawlessness over the next few days.
The ascension of the new Prime Minister occurs amidst growing anxiety over what seems to be rising security challenges and increased anxieties in Haiti.