Southwest Flight Near Miss: Dramatic Plunge to Avoid Collision Injures Crew and Shocks Passengers
A recent incident involving a Southwest Airlines flight has raised alarms about aviation safety in the U.S. Shortly after taking off from Burbank, California, the aircraft made a steep descent to avoid colliding with another plane. This harrowing experience left two cabin crew members injured and passengers thrown from their seats.
The Boeing 737 had just lifted off when the pilot received a warning about a nearby aircraft, prompting an emergency dive. According to FlightAware data, the plane dropped a startling 300 feet in just 36 seconds. Passengers onboard reported a sense of panic, with many fearing the aircraft was on the verge of crashing.
Comedian Jimmy Dore, who was aboard the flight, described the chaotic scene on social media platform X, saying, "The pilot had to dive aggressively to avoid a mid-air collision. Many of us flew out of our seats and hit our heads on the ceiling, and a flight attendant required medical assistance."
One passenger, Stef Zambrano, witnessed a woman who wasn’t buckled in being thrown from her seat, expressing her desire to get off the plane immediately. Another traveler, Steve Ulasewicz, recounted the terrifying moments, stating, "It felt like the plane was in freefall for 10 seconds. People were screaming. It was pandemonium. Everyone thought the plane was going down."
Fortunately, the flight continued safely to its destination in Las Vegas, landing without further incident. Reports indicate that the Boeing 737 and a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58, a British fighter jet, were in close proximity at the time of the scare. Southwest Airlines is now collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the circumstances surrounding this alarming event.
This incident marks the second time in a week that a passenger flight has had to execute sudden maneuvers to avoid a potential mid-air collision, raising significant concerns about aviation safety in the United States. In January, a tragic mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., resulted in the loss of 67 lives, highlighting the critical need for ongoing vigilance in air travel safety.
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