A Southwest Airlines flight experienced a sudden drop in altitude shortly after departing from the Los Angeles area on Friday. Passengers reported online that the pilot had to quickly change course to avoid a possible collision with another aircraft. Flight 1496, which was traveling from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Las Vegas, dropped rapidly, causing passengers to be thrown out of their seats and injuring two flight attendants.
Southwest Airlines stated that the crew responded to two onboard traffic alerts, requiring them to climb and descend in order to follow the alerts. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident, which occurred less than a week after a similar near-miss.
The FAA emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of everyone in the national airspace system. Comedian Jimmy Dore, who was on board the flight, claimed that the erratic movement was due to a near-miss with another plane. Flight attendant Stef Zamorano reported that all passengers applauded upon landing. Caitlin Burdi described the experience as terrifying, with passengers screaming as the plane seemed to plummet.
According to reports, the plane was nearly intercepted by a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet, which flew less than two miles in front of it and at a similar altitude. The Southwest statement confirmed that the flight continued on to Las Vegas and landed without further issue. The airline is collaborating with the FAA to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Their priority remains the safety of their customers and employees.
Less than a week before this incident, a Delta regional flight from Minneapolis had to make a sudden evasive maneuver to avoid a US military bomber.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l68811dkjo
