Passenger dies after Southwest plane suffers engine failure
An investigation is underway after a passenger died when she was partially sucked out of a window after it was smashed by the debris of a failed engine on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 aircraft.
According to witnesses, an engine blew, smashing the window and causing a cabin depressurisation which nearly sucked the woman out of the plane. Passengers pulled her back in.
The incident happened on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, which made an emergency landing in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
It was flying from La Guardia to Dallas with 144 passengers and five crew on board.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has opened an investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a team has already arrived in Philadelphia.
Gary Kelly, Southwest chairman and CEO, issued a video statement which said: "This is a sad day and on behalf of the entire SouthWest family I want to extend my deepest sympathies for the family and loved ones of our deceased customer.
"I am immensely grateful there are no other reports of injuries, but truly this is a tragic loss."
He went on to thank the crew for its swift action and for safely landing the plane and said the airline will fully cooperate in the investigatiion.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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