A Spirit Airlines flight returned safely to Montego Bay, Jamaica Sunday after a suspected mechanical issue caused panic and confusion inside the cabin.
Passengers told CNN they were told to prepare for a water landing shortly after the aircraft diverted from its path to Florida.
The airline said in a statement that reversing course was “out of an abundance of caution following a suspected mechanical issue.” After being deplaned, passengers were later put on a different plane to safely reach their destination.
In one video during the plane’s takeoff, a chiming signal can be heard throughout the cabin but the meaning of the signal is unclear.
Passenger Bettina Rogers told CNN the pilot told passengers there “was nothing to be alarmed about” but about five minutes later said the plane needed to return to the Montego Bay airport.
As the plane was turning back, the pilot announced “Prepare for an emergency water landing.”
After the flight safely landed, video showed orange life vests scattering the floor as passengers walked off the plane.
“Safety is our top priority, and the aircraft will be thoroughly evaluated by our maintenance team,” the airline said. “We apologize to our Guests for any inconvenience.”
On Wednesday, two planes almost collided at Reagan National Airport (DCA).
According to the FAA, an air traffic controller canceled the takeoff clearance for an American Airlines flight as a smaller King Air plane was cleared to land on an intersecting runway.
Air traffic control data retrieved from LiveATC revealed that the King Air plane was already on the ground as the takeoff clearance for American Airlines was canceled.
WalletHub named Spirit Airlines the safest airline of 2024 in a recent study.
The Florida-based airline topped two categories, coming in third overall, behind Alaska Airlines and Skywest.