Haiti's main airport shuts down amid gang violence surge: US Embassy

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to fix the location where the flight that took gunfire originated. It departed from Florida.

The main airport in Haiti is shut down after gang violence erupted Monday attempting to seize control, the U.S. Embassy said.

In a statement, the embassy said it was aware of “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince” and the Touissant L’Overture airport has a “temporary pause in operations.”

“The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous. Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety traveling to airports, borders, or during any onward travel,” the embassy said.

Fights between gangs and police broke out in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, The Associated Press reported.

A Spirit Airlines flight was hit by gunfire at the airport. The flight was headed to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and was diverted to Santiago, Dominican Republic.

One flight attendant on board reported “minor injures” and is being evaluated by medical personnel, and no airline guests reported injuries.

The violence comes a day after the transitionary council created to reestablish democratic control in Haiti signed a decree firing its interim Prime Minister, Garry Conille. He was replaced with Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, marking another rocky democratic transition for the country that’s been plagued by gang violence, the AP reported.

Updated at 5:49 p.m. EST.