FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, came under gunfire during its landing attempt Monday, and passengers are now sharing their frightening experiences with Local 10 News.
Lamora Pierre and her cousin Tiquana Yearby are still shaken after their Spirit Airlines flight came under fire during its approach to Port-au-Prince.
“It got me very emotional,” Pierre said, describing the terrifying moment gangs shot at their plane.
Pierre and Yearby had been recording their descent when chaos erupted.
“Everything was going smooth,” Yearby said, “and next thing you know, we’re back pinned to our seats.”
The flight was diverted to the Dominican Republic, where passengers spent hours waiting to return to the U.S. The abrupt change left many on board frightened and confused.
“I immediately texted my family, ‘I’m scared,’” Pierre said. “We were flying at what felt like 300 miles an hour. When I say that plane was moving, that pilot was doing his job — he earned his pay that day.”
Yearby expressed frustration with how the situation was handled.
“That crew kept that from us, which to me was wrong,” she said. “They should’ve told us we’re under fire, so we could try to get in a position in case of an emergency.”
Despite the ordeal, the passengers praised the pilot’s swift and decisive action.
“When I say that plane was moving, that pilot, he was doing his job,” Yearby said. “He got paid that day.”
Spirit Airlines has not commented on the incident, but the passengers’ accounts underscore the growing dangers of air travel in Haiti amid escalating gang violence.