Southwest Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Philadelphia Due to Blown Engine

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

A Southwest Airlines flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Dallas Love Field made an emergency landing Tuesday in Philadelphia after an engine suffered serious damage.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 landed safely at Philadelphia International Airport shortly before noon on Tuesday before it taxied to an area of the runway where passengers could be safely evacuated from the plane.

A video of the incident showed several firefighters and emergency vehicles surrounding the plane, which showed the blown-out engine and appeared to have at least one window missing.

Officials say one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition and seven had received treatment for minor injuries.

The plane reportedly depressurized mid-flight, to the point where one father of a female passenger said that her daughter was “partially sucked out” of the plane before her fellow passengers pulled her back in.

One passenger used Facebook Live to capture the scene as the plane lost pressure.

“Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! Emergency landing!! Southwest flight from NYC to Dallas!!” Facebook user Marty Martinez wrote. “We are bracing for landing!!”

The airline said in a statement that the plane had 143 passengers and five crewmembers on board and that it was “in the process of gathering more information.”

“Safety is always our top priority at Southwest Airlines, and we are working diligently to support our Customers and Crews at this time,” the statement read.

Philadelphia Airport announced that passengers should expect delays even though flights are still departing and arriving at the airport.

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