Emergency landing after plane engine ripped apart
Southwest is renowned for its good safety record. Photo: Getty
A Boeing 737-700 has been forced to make an emergency landing in Florida after part of an engine was reportedly ripped off.
The Southwest Airlines Flight 3472 from New Orleans had been bound for Orlando, Florida.
It was diverted to Pensacola, Florida, after the pilot discovered a major issue with the jet’s engine.
Southwest Flight 3472 passenger shares photos, story of in-flight emergency https://t.co/9YzNBsviI2 pic.twitter.com/sgndpiHlW6
— FOX10News | WALA (@FOX10News) August 27, 2016
According to a statement from the US airline, the plane touched down in Pensacola around 9.40am Central Daylight Time with no apparent injuries to the 99 passengers or five crew members on board.
Pictures taken from the plane and posted online made it appear that part of the engine had blown apart, but Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said there was no explosion.
He told Fox News that Southwest would work with investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause of the incident.
Southwest is said to have an outstanding safety record.
