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Western Air Flight Takes Dramatic Turn

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – An early morning Western Air flight from new providence to Grand Bahama took a dramatic turn, Thursday morning.

Published

2 years ago

February 16, 2023

Marlena Leonard

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – An early morning Western Air flight from new providence to Grand Bahama took a dramatic turn, Thursday morning. Our News spoke to some of those passengers, who reported hearing noises before being told they’d be making an emergency landing.

Urgent instructions from the flight attendant on Western Air’s 7am flight advised passengers to get ready for an emergency landing.

According to the Air Accident Investigation Authority, the flight crew made the decision to return to Lynden Pindling International Airport after observing an unsafe landing gear indication shortly after takeoff.

The flight landed safely with no reported injuries to the 32 passengers and 3 flight crew onboard.

Veteran Junkanooer V. Charmaine Rolle was on her way to Grand Bahama for Thursday Evening’s Junior Junkanoo parades.

Kwasi Thompson, Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, was also on that 7am flight, and tells us most passengers were calm for the majority of the ordeal.

Rolle was also alarmed by the orders to brace but tells us the landing itself was smooth.

A video surfaced on social media showing passengers moments after they got off the flight at LPIA, as many passengers hugged each other, grateful to the crew and God.

The majority of those passengers still made their way to Freeport on another Western Air flight, two hours later.