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Passengers ‘freak out’ after being told to brace for water landing
Passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight described how a tense moment when the captain said a technical fault alert would require them to return back to Jamaica, turned into panic over a possible emergency water landing.
They were told to brace for a water landing, according to passenger Bettina Rogers’ TikTok video post.
The flight had left Montego Bay when a ‘suspected mechanical issue’ arose in the cockpit.
The pilot informed passengers Flight NK270 was forced to return to Jamaica a short while after takeoff.
Before reaching Jamaica the pilot then said ‘prepare for emergency water landing’ which led to some passengers ‘freaking out and panicking’ Rogers said.
Then the captain told passengers it was premature and ‘nothing to be alarmed about.’
“It was scary, and people were freaking out,” Rogers said.
Another passenger Andrene Gordon, described it like a ‘near-death experience.’
“It was total chaos.”
The plane did land safely without incident and all passengers were able to disembark normally.
Spirit Airlines says the captain’s instructions were ‘out of an abundance of caution.’
Passengers were put on a new flight to Fort Lauderdale, and arrived less than one hour later than scheduled.
Passengers were given a $50 credit but Gordon said this was inadequate considering the emotional distress.
“I feel like that is a slap in the face because they put us through such a traumatic experience.”
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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