Emergency on Southwest Flight: Shocking Dive Injures Flight Attendants

A Southwest Airlines flight took a scary nosedive shortly after leaving Los Angeles on Friday. Passengers reported that the pilot had to change course quickly to avoid what could have been a serious collision with another aircraft.

Flight 1496, which was headed from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Las Vegas, dropped suddenly. This caused chaos inside the cabin, with two flight attendants sustaining injuries. The crew responded to two safety alerts, prompting the plane to climb and descend rapidly to avoid danger, according to a statement from Southwest Airlines.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident, which took place just days after another close call in the skies. The FAA emphasized that safety remains their primary concern.

Stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore, who was on board, shared his experience on social media. He noted the pilot’s warning about a near-miss, stating that a flight attendant needed medical care after the turbulence. “A collision warning went off, and he needed to avoid the plane coming at us,” Dore tweeted. After the plane landed safely, passengers reportedly applauded.

Caitlin Burdi, another passenger, described the scene as terrifying. “We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash,” she said. She recounted how the pilot later communicated that they had almost collided with another aircraft and briefly lost contact with air traffic control.

According to CNN, flight tracking data revealed that a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet crossed less than two miles ahead of the Southwest plane, at a similar altitude. This jet had taken off from El Paso, Texas, and was headed to Oxnard, California.

After the incident, Southwest Airlines reassured everyone that the flight continued without further complications into Las Vegas. They highlighted their commitment to safety and praised the professionalism of their crew.

Notably, this event mirrors a recent incident where a Delta regional flight had to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a U.S. military bomber. Such occurrences raise questions about air traffic management and safety protocols. As air travel continues to grow, incidents like these remind us of the importance of vigilance in aviation safety.

For more on aviation safety standards and regulations, you can visit the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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