Sichuan Airlines plane makes emergency landing after cockpit windshield gets ripped away
The plane landed safely and none of the passengers were injured
A Sichuan Airlines plane was forced to make a frightening emergency landing early this morning after its cockpit windshield cracked and broke away.
The plane, an Airbus 319 that was flying from Chongqing to Lhasa, was cruising at about 32,000 feet over Chengdu when its front-right windshield was suddenly ripped out. The incident injured a co-pilot and a flight attendant, and caused the pilot to decide to make a quick descent towards the city.
Video clips from inside the cabin have been published online showing flight attendants attempting to reassure passengers and asking them to remain calm. Sitting terrified in their seats while wearing oxygen masks, some of the passengers cried. Others simply held up their smartphones, recording footage of their fate.
Fortunately, following a steep and speedy descent, the plane landed safely at Chengdu’s airport at about 7:46 am. None of the passengers were injured. They later caught another flight to Lhasa.
However, the co-pilot reportedly received a serious head injury and was rushed to the hospital after landing.
