Southwest Airlines: One dead, seven injured after engine explodes mid-flight; passengers tell loved ones goodbye as plane makes emergency landing

At least one person is dead after a Southwest Airlines plane’s engine reportedly failed mid-flight, prompting the aircraft to make an emergency landing.

Tuesday’s deadly incident involved Southwest Airlines flight 1380, which was en route from New York City’s LaGuardia International Airport to Dallas Love Field. WPVI reported that the flight was diverted to Philadelphia International Airport after passengers reportedly witnessed a large explosion followed by glass flying everywhere.

“Flight attendants rushed up. There was momentary chaos. Everyone kind of descended on where this hole was. As passengers, we weren’t sure if they were trying to cover up the hole, but the plane smelled like smoke. There was ash coming through the ventilation system. We started dropping,” passenger Matt Tranchin told the Philadelphia news station.

 

“Some of the crew couldn’t hold back their horror. And some were crying as they looked out through the open window onto the engine.”

According to The New York Post, passenger accounts indicated that the woman was partially sucked out of the plane but fellow fliers had pulled her back in.

National Transportation Safety Board chairman Robert Sumwalt announced that one person was killed Tuesday. He noted that it the first passenger fatality in a U.S. airline accident since 2009. Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel revealed that seven other people were treated for minor injuries.

Passenger Marty Martinez told CBS News that he saw an injured woman being taken off the plane. He claimed he bought Wi-Fi and took to Facebook Live as he believed the plane was going down.

“And put in a position to have to prioritize the people I loved to send them my final words was an absolutely gut-wrenching feeling,” he explained on Facebook.

“So I thought to Facebook LIVE my experience, thinking this would be my last communication with the people I loved and my team back home.”

Video from inside the aircraft captured passengers wearing oxygen masks dropped from the aircraft ceiling.

The NTSB has reportedly sent investigators to Philadelphia to examine the scene.

Posted by Marty Martinez on Tuesday, April 17, 2018

This is a developing story. Be sure to check back with CrimeOnline for updates as they become available.

 

[Featured Image: Marty Martinez/Facebook]