FAA bans U.S.-Haiti flights for 30 days after Spirit Airlines flight struck by gunfire

The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday banned U.S. civilian flights to and from Haiti for 30 days after a Spirit Airlines airplane was struck by gunfire trying to land in Port-au-Prince a day earlier.

The FAA’s ban also prohibits U.S. flights from traveling under 10,000 feet in Haiti’s airspace.

On Monday, Spirit Airlines Flight 951 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, diverted to Santiago in the Dominican Republic at around 11:30 a.m. after it was damaged by gunfire, the airline said. Spirit said one flight attendant on board “reported minor injuries” and that no passenger injuries were reported.

It diverted two other flights. JetBlue Airways and American Airlines have also canceled flights to the Haitian capital.

The U.S. State Department on Monday said that the 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.”