The Sunrise Airways flight was hit by gunfire after it tried to make a landing at the Guy Malary terminal of Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Haiti, prompting the airline to shut down all domestic operations within the Caribbean country.
A wave of political and gang violence has engulfed the country after the forced resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry in April 2024.
In November 2024, planes belonging to United States (U.S.) airlines, including Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit, were grazed with gunfire while attempting to land, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ban flights to Haiti.
The FAA also banned the planes from flying below 10,000 feet in certain Haitian airspace citing security concerns.
The latest gunfire incident in which the Sunrise Airways plane was hit occurred on November 23. Fortunately, the passengers and the crew aboard stayed safe.
The airlines did not provide many details other than announcing the halting of operations pending an investigation, adding that they will "resume operations as soon as conditions allow".
The statement by the airline read, “Sunrise Airways’ main priority is the safety of our passengers and its employees. We will take no risks until all conditions are fully met to operate safely.”
This comes amid looming war threats as U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean Sea continues.