A Southwest Airlines plane has ended up in a ditch at Nashville International Airport in Tennessee after skidding off a runway while taxiing, officials say. Eight people have been injured.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the accident happened at 5:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday when Southwest Airlines Flight 31, a Boeing 737 aircraft, was taxiing to its gate. The aircraft skidded off the runway and ended up in a ditch, after which emergency slides were activated to evacuate those on board.
Fire crews and ambulances raced to the scene to assist in the evacuation and to treat those with injuries. A statement from Southwest Airlines said 8 passengers were transported to Summit Medical Center, including at least 3 who suffered minor injuries and were quickly released. The injuries of the other 5 were not immediately known, but are not thought to be serious.
Southwest Airlines Flight 31 was landing at Nashville International Airport after a flight from Hobby Airport in Houston with 133 passengers and 5 crew members on board.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to launch an investigation into Tuesday’s incident.
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