Judith Joseph described the current violence and political turmoil in Haiti — a place she calls home — as heartbreaking and devastating.
“We cannot explain the feeling, what’s going on right now,” Joseph said. “For me, it’s very emotional.”
“The gangs, the gangs, my God,” she said. “The country, it’s like run by gangs now.”
That violence is what caused the FAA to ban flights for at least 30 days to and from the country after a Spirit Airlines flight was shot at seven times in Port-au-Prince before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Monday.
A JetBlue flight to New York and an American Airlines flight returning to Miami were also shot on the same day. Both airlines reported discovering the bullet damage after a post-flight inspection.
While no passengers were hit, a Spirit flight attendant did suffer minor injuries.
“For us here, that’s already trying to help the country which is on its knees to have this, it’s devastating,” Joseph said. “I can’t even begin to describe how devastating it is, and it’s dangerous. The feeling is overwhelming.”
Joseph is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Angels for Humanity, which donates supplies and basic needs to children in Haiti.
She was just there days ago, preparing for a groundbreaking next month for a new school she’s building in Cap-Haitien, but those plans are now paused.
“We’re in a situation right now where our hands are tied,” Joseph said. “And, I don’t have the answers. I don’t know if anyone does.”
The travel ban won’t allow her and her team into the country for the groundbreaking or to bring in pallets of medical supplies.
It also won’t allow people there to fly out like Jacques Balynce’s mother-in-law, who is a U.S. citizen.
“She wants to go to the Dominican Republic, but you can’t go to the airport for now,” Balynce said.
The flights were shot at on the same day Haiti swore in a new prime minister, adding to the country’s political turmoil.
The U.S. State Department says it’s aware of gangs controlling trade routes and now trying to block air travel.
The White House spoke about the recent shootings at flights, calling the violence “concerning.”
Balynce says he doesn’t know when his mother-in-law will be able to get out.
“The embassy was contacted, but there was no dates of when flights would resume,” Balynce said. “It’s tough. There’s only so much you can do when you sit here and see how you can help.”
