A plane made an emergency landing in Havana on Sunday and passengers evacuated it through the slides after a collision with birds and the appearance of smoke in the cabin, Cuban authorities and the airline said.
According to the Cuban Aviation Corporation (Cacsa), which manages the aviation sector in Cuba, the incident occurred at 12:05 p.m. shortly after the takeoff of the Boeing 737 of the American company Southwest Airlines bound for Fort Lauderdale. , Florida (southeastern United States).
Smoke in cabins
“
According to established procedure, it (the plane) was cleared to land at Havana airport.
The passengers have been evacuated and are in good health
,” added Cacsa, which opened an investigation.
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Birds struck one of the engines and the nose of the aircraft, which was carrying 147 passengers and six crew members, Southwest Airlines said.
"
The pilots returned safely to Havana where the passengers evacuated the plane via the slides due to smoke in the cabin
," the company said in a statement sent to AFP.
Passengers were to reach Fort Lauderdale on another flight, she added.