Passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida were told to prepare for a water emergency Saturday after a possible mechanical problem.
Flight NK270 took off from Montego Bay on Saturday afternoon, headed for Fort Lauderdale, before returning to its origin shortly after takeoff “following a suspected mechanical problem”, the airlines said in a statement.
Passengers were told to don life jackets and prepare for a water landing as a precaution, the airline said.
The Airbus A321 landed safely at Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay and guests disembarked normally, the airline said, adding that “the mechanical issue did not affect the safety of the flight” . According to FlightAware data, the passengers were put on a new flight to Fort Lauderdale, where they arrived just under 45 minutes late.
“The pilot told us to prepare for a water landing and the maximum emergency activated at MBJ,” a passenger told Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner, adding: “We were told the plane lost pressure”.
The passenger added: “It was nerve wracking.”
The airline said the plane would be thoroughly assessed by its maintenance team.
“We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience,” the airline said.
—Kathryn Krupnik contributed to this report.
