Plane Bound for Cuba Hit by Bullets: Here’s What Happened

A plane bound for Cuba from Port-au-Prince was hit multiple times by gunfire during armed violence events in Haiti in recent days.

An Airbus 320 from Sunrise Airways, which would travel to Havana, was hit on the bottom of the aircraft, near the tail, and the cabin while it was parked at the international air terminal.

Haitian official media did not confirm if there were any injuries as a result of the incident, but the facts are very alarming.

Due to this and other incidents that affected Toussaint Louverture Airport, the airline suspended all its flights until further notice.

Given the imminent danger to passengers, crew members, and the air fleet, other airlines such as Spirit Airlines and American Airlines also canceled their operations to and from Haiti.

Domestic flights were also suspended until the situation normalizes and there is no risk of attacks on these strategic sites.

The wave of violence also affected the national Guy Malary airport where shots reached the furniture and glass windows, and a car dealership.

This situation has created panic at Toussaint Louverture International Airport and Guy Malary airport, which manages local flights. Employees and travelers had to lie on the ground to escape from stray bullets. The images show bullet impacts on a glass window and chairs in the waiting room of Guy Malary airport

indicated the local newspaper Le Nouvelliste. The conflicts within the Caribbean country are presumably aimed at neutralizing the local police and thereby preventing the return of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is on a state visit in Nairobi.

The leader of the uprising is Jimmy Chérizier, a former police officer sanctioned by the UN and nicknamed “Barbecue” who has publicly expressed his intentions to “liberate the country under arms”.

It is another sign of the deep crisis Haiti is going through, where citizens could bear the brunt of being unprotected.