Airplane Engine Explodes Midflight, One Dead, At Least Seven Injured

A Southwest Airlines flight was forced into an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport the morning of April 17th after an engine exploded midflight. The force of the explosion sent shrapnel into the airplane’s cabin and burst open a window. One passenger died from her injuries and at least seven others were seriously injured. It is believed at this time the woman sitting nearest the exploding engine is the passenger who perished, but it has not yet been confirmed.

According to reports, a female passenger was nearly sucked out of the airplane due to the sudden depressurization. Other passengers sprang to the rescue, grabbing ahold of her, pulling her back in, and holding her in place until she could be fastened in.

The interior of the airplane reportedly began to smell of smoke and ash immediately after the engine explosion. It is possible some passengers may have suffered from smoke inhalation, especially if they could not fasten their oxygen masks readily. A Facebook Live video from inside the airplane during the aviation disaster showed several people struggling to don the safety mask.

This marks one of many commercial plane accidents that have put a cloud over Southwest Airline’s reputation lately. A preflight cabin fire erupted in a California flight, requiring the emergency evacuation of more than 140 people. Two years ago, a New Orleans flight also lost its engine. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported in that case.

(For more information about this ongoing story, you can click here to view a full article fromNBC.)

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Were you or a loved one injured in an aviation disaster, like the Southwest Airlines engine explosion case? Fleming | Nolen | Jez, L.L.P. is an aviation accident law firm headquartered in Houston but accepting cases from coast-to-coast. Throughout our extensive legal experience, we have represented plaintiff clients in claims brought against numerous major airlines and air carriers, including United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and many more. To put our caliber of service in your corner and to confidently pursue much deserved compensation after an airline accident, call (713) 621-7944 for a free consultation with our team.