Chaos on Southwest flight filling with smoke and passengers forced to wear oxygen masks

A Southwest Airlines plane flying from Havana to Fort Lauderdale made an emergency landing at Cuba’s Jose Marti Airport on Sunday after an engine reportedly caught fire following a bird strike, causing chaos and terror among passengers inside.

Cellphone footage showed smoke filling the Boeing 737’s cabin as panicked adults frantically pounded on the roof to release oxygen masks, and parents tried to explain to their children how to put the masks on their faces.

The video shows passengers on the 11:50 am flight audibly wondering what’s going on, and at least one adult and one child can be heard crying. One passenger described the ordeal as sounding like a giant boom.

Emergency lights on the plane were switched on and footage showed customers evacuating the jet via evacuation slides on the runway after the plane’s heroic pilot managed to get them back to safety.

Outside, on the ground at Marti Airport, people can be seen walking down the runway together, with a woman sitting on the tarmac while firefighters and trucks wait nearby.

A Southwest Airlines plane flying from Havana to Fort Lauderdale was forced to return to Cuba’s Jose Marti Airport on Sunday after an engine reportedly caught fire, causing chaos and terror for passengers inside after a bird strike

Emergency lights on the plane were switched on and footage showed customers evacuating the jet via evacuation slides on the runway at Cuba’s largest airport while firefighters and trucks looked on

Steven Rodriguez, a passenger on the flight, likened the sound before the smoke appeared as “like a big bang, a big explosion.”

“Southwest Flight No. 3923, which departed from Havana, Cuba, for Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday morning, reportedly suffered bird strikes on an engine and the nose of the aircraft shortly after takeoff,” a Southwest Airlines spokesman said in an explanation.

“We commend the prompt and professional actions taken by our pilots and flight attendants in responding to this event. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and have reached out to address their needs and offer support.’

Rodriguez claimed that the safety precautions, such as masks, that were available to passengers were of little use.

“People started taking things into their own hands and violently hitting the roof to throw off the masks,” Rodriguez told NBC6. ‘And people had bloody knuckles and all from hitting the roof. There were small children on the plane and older women.’

None of the 147 passengers and crew of six were injured and the passengers were able to disembark safely at Marti Airport.

The captain was praised and applauded by travelers when he was able to land the plane.

In this video captured by coverage of the landing, passengers can be seen using the evacuation slides

Smoke filled the cabin of Southwest Flight No. 3923, which departed from Havana, Cuba, for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sunday morning after bird strikes caused an engine fire

“The captain was amazing,” said Jorge Montesino. “Using only one engine, the left engine, she was able to turn the plane and land safely.”

However, passengers like Rodriguez feared for their lives.

“To be honest, I thought it was time to go,” he said. ‘I was shocked.’

Radio Rebelde, the state-run media outlet in Cuba, said the country’s aviation authority attributed the strikes to “detected failures in one of its engines during the take-off process.”

“CACSA indicated that the causes of this event are being investigated and stressed that the airport facility is currently maintaining regular operations,” Radio Rebelde said.

Southwest Airlines would not confirm an engine failure, but told CNN that the company “will inspect the aircraft to assess the damage but has no further details to share at this time.”

They said customers and crew would be given alternative accommodation to get to Fort Lauderdale, with most booked for Monday morning.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk