Two flight attendants were injured on a Southwest Airlines flight departing from Burbank, California, after pilots executed sudden evasive maneuvers to avoid a military aircraft, the airline confirmed Friday. The incident involved Southwest Flight 1496 sharply descending nearly 500 feet during takeoff, marking the second time in a week that a U.S. commercial jet had to make abrupt moves to prevent a potential mid-air collision.
Flight tracking data revealed that the Boeing 737, heading to Las Vegas, descended rapidly after receiving cockpit alerts about nearby traffic. The airline stated that the pilots responded to “two onboard traffic alerts” while taking off from Hollywood Burbank Airport. The descent prompted panic among passengers, with one, Caitlin Burdi, describing it as “terrifying,” fearing a crash as the plane plummeted.
The other aircraft involved was identified by Flightradar24 as a British-built Hawker Hunter fighter jet, which crossed in front of the Southwest flight. The two planes came within approximately 7.82 kilometers laterally and 107 meters vertically, raising serious concerns about airspace safety. Neither the US Air Force nor the Defense Department responded immediately to inquiries about the military jet’s presence near Burbank.
The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident. Southwest reported that two flight attendants sustained injuries and received treatment, though no passengers reported injuries. The flight ultimately landed safely in Las Vegas without further incident.
This event is part of a troubling pattern, as it appears to be the fourth incident involving military aircraft near commercial flights since March. The incident has raised urgent questions about air traffic management and military operations in congested airspace, with safety officials scrutinizing how such close encounters can be prevented in the future.
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