Southwest airline plane struck by gunfire in US

A Southwest Airlines flight preparing to depart from Dallas Love Field airport in Texas on Friday night was struck by a bullet, the airline confirmed. Flight 2494, which was heading to Indianapolis, was hit on the right side of the aircraft, just below the flight deck, shortly before takeoff. The crew promptly returned the plane to the gate, and all passengers safely deplaned. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft was taken out of service for further inspection.

Dallas police responded to the incident around 9:50 p.m. and have launched an investigation. Southwest Airlines reiterated its commitment to passenger safety, with a spokesperson confirming, “Flight 2494 was preparing for takeoff when a bullet apparently struck the plane’s right side, just below the flight deck.” In a related development, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a 30-day suspension on U.S. airline flights to Haiti following a series of gunfire incidents targeting aircraft at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince earlier this week.

On Monday, a Spirit Airlines flight was struck by multiple bullets while attempting to land, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the aircraft to divert to a Dominican Republic airport. Similar incidents occurred the next day, with American Airlines and JetBlue flights departing Port-au-Prince later discovering bullet holes during inspections. The FAA cited the escalating violence, including gang-related shootings near the airport, as a significant risk to aviation safety.