Southwest Airlines Aircraft Struck by Gunfire on Runway at Dallas Airport Before Departure
The gunfire incident prompted the aircraft to return to the gate.
A Southwest Airlines plane was hit by gunfire while preparing for takeoff at Dallas Love Field airport in Texas on Friday night, but no injuries were reported from the incident, according to the airline.
The Southwest Airlines flight 2494 was taxiing for departure to Indianapolis when a bullet “apparently struck the right side of the aircraft just under the flight deck,” the airline told media outlets.
The plane safely returned to the terminal at Dallas Love Field airport after the gunfire, according to the airline. It is unclear how many passengers were aboard the plane or the extent of damage to the plane.
“Southwest will accommodate our customers on another flight,” the airline said. “Law enforcement authorities have been notified and the plane has been removed from service.”
The source of the gunfire and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
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The Dallas Love Field also confirmed that the Dallas Police Department has responded to “a security incident involving a commercial aircraft” at the airport. It did not identify the airline.
The runway from which the plane was departing was temporarily closed on Friday due to an investigation into the incident, but it has now been reopened, according to the airport.
The FAA issued a Notice to Air Mission, or NOTAM, prohibiting U.S. civil aviation operations in the territory and airspace of Haiti below 10,000 feet for 30 days.
A Spirit Airlines flight sustained damage after being struck by gunfire while trying to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in the Haitian capital, Port-Au-Prince, on Nov. 11. The plane later diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic, where it made a safe landing. Two other flights bound for Haiti were diverted as a precaution later that day.
In another incident, a JetBlue Airways flight returning from Port-au-Prince was discovered with bullet damage after arriving in New York on Nov. 11. JetBlue said it will extend a halt to all flights to and from Haiti through Dec. 2.
Armed gangs in Haiti’s capital reportedly have been shooting at aircraft in recent weeks as the country’s security situation deteriorates. Last month, a United Nations helicopter was hit by gunfire over Port-au-Prince.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
