Panic In Spirit Airlines Plane Cabin As Passengers Were Told To Prepare For Possible Water Landing After Mechanical Fault

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A passenger told CNN that the Airbus aircraft was turned around due to a mechanical problem.

Passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida were told to prepare for a possible water landing on Sunday, creating panic in the cabin.

A passenger told CNN that the Airbus aircraft was turned around due to a mechanical problem.

The airline said in a statement that the aircraft was safely returned to Montego Bay, Jamaica, “out of an abundance of caution following a suspected mechanical issue”.

It said the passengers were later put on another plane to take them to their destination.

The incident happened after a record-breaking start to the holiday weekend for airline travel.

The Transportation Security Administration announced the record for most travellers screened in a single day was broken on Friday.

In a post on its X account, the agency said, “TSA Officers have set a new record for most travelers screened in a single day!

“On Friday, May 24, 2,951,163 individuals were screened at checkpoints nationwide, surpassing the previous record on Nov. 26, 2023. We recommend arriving early.”

Passenger Bettina Rogers captured video of the plane’s takeoff in which a chiming signal can be heard twice in the cabin but said the pilot told passengers there was “nothing to be alarmed about”.

Rogers said shortly after, the pilot informed passengers the plane needed to return to Jamaica but that as the plane turned back, the pilot announced, “Prepare for emergency water landing.”

“It was scary, and people were freaking out and panicking,” Rogers said.

The video taken by Rogers shows the cabin was full of nervous chatter and orange life vests scattered the floor after the flight landed safely.

Flagnews earlier reported on Monday that a United Airlines flight had aborted takeoff at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport when one of the plane’s engines caught fire.

Arrivals were temporarily halted at the airport by the Federal Aviation Administration following the incident.

There were 148 passengers and five crew members on the Airbus A320 which was headed to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington.

No injuries were reported.

Flagnews reported on Sunday that no fewer than 12 people had sustained injuries after a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin was hit by turbulence while flying over Turkey.

Dublin airport authorities said at least six passengers and six crew members were injured on the flight even though the flight landed safely as scheduled at 1 pm (12:00GMT).

The Qatar incident came less than a week after a Singapore Airlines flight from London was hit by severe turbulence. It claimed the life of one person while more than 30 others were injured.

The Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER was diverted to Bangkok and landed at 15:45 local (08:00 GMT).

The airline said in a statement that the flight SQ 321 was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew.