On February 29, 2024, an Airbus A321 operated by Dominican Airlines Sky Cana was shot at and damaged while landing at Port-au-Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) in Haiti. Despite the damage to the aircraft fuselage, the plane managed to land safely with no reported injuries among those onboard.
.gif)
Flight Details
The aircraft, under flight number S65217, originated from Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) in the Dominican Republic. It departed at 10:12 in the morning and was due to land in Haiti 40 minutes later. However, as the aircraft landed and taxied towards the parking apron, it sustained damage from gunfire that had broken out in the area surrounding the airport boundary.
Cause of the Incident
Local reports suggest that ongoing disputes between rival gangs with territories situated around the airport were likely to blame. The violence, which targeted local police facilities and an auto dealership housing the Jamaican consulate, started early in the morning on February 29, 2024.
Impact of the Incident
The gunfire reportedly left one person, a Haiti National Police officer, injured during an exchange of gunfire between gang members and police trying to quell the violence. The firefight also resulted in several aircraft being damaged on the airport tarmac. The violence led to the cancellation of flights by two US-based carriers – American Airlines from Miami (MIA) and Spirit Airlines from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) respectively. At the time of the shooting, a New York-bound JetBlue Airways flight was preparing to take off from the airport, though the flight managed to depart undamaged. American Airlines later suspended its daily service between Miami and Port-au-Prince because of "the civil unrest", according to spokeswoman Laura Masvidal.
The Damaged Aircraft
The damaged aircraft, registered as 9H-AME, is operated by Avion Express Malta under an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) lease agreement with Dominican Airlines-Sky Cana. The aircraft, an A321-231, is 19.8 years old, having first been delivered to now-defunct UK charter carrier Monarch Airlines in June 2004. Despite the unfortunate incident, it's a relief that there were no major injuries reported. The situation continues to be monitored with safety and security as the top priority.