The U.S. airline industry faced another scare on the 25th. Southwest Airlines confirmed that one of its passenger planes carried out an emergency descent after takeoff from Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area, California, to avoid a mid-air collision with a fighter jet.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Southwest Airlines stated that Flight 1496 from Burbank to Las Vegas, Nevada, received a warning after takeoff, and the aircraft rapidly descended after initially climbing. The jet landed safely in Las Vegas, with no reports of injured passengers, although two crew members are receiving treatment.
According to U.S. media reports, the aircraft that came dangerously close to the Southwest jet was a Hawker Hunter fighter jet, owned by a British defense contractor. The fighter was flying from Texas to a naval base in Ventura County, near Los Angeles.
Passengers Thrown from Seats
The report said the Southwest jet dropped about 145 meters (approximately 475 feet) abruptly. Some passengers shared their experiences on social media, describing people screaming nonstop, and even some being thrown into the air from their seats. One passenger wrote: "This was another near-disastrous error that almost cost the lives of more than 150 people on board."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it has contacted Southwest Airlines about the incident and has launched an investigation.
On the 18th of this month, a SkyWest Airlines plane preparing to land in North Dakota was forced to make a sudden evasive turn to avoid a collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 strategic bomber. On January 29th this year, a Pacific Southwest Airlines plane carrying 64 people collided with a "Black Hawk" military helicopter carrying three servicemembers during its approach to Washington Reagan National Airport. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River and there were no survivors.