Passenger plane struck by bullet close to the cockpit as it prepared to take off from the airport

16 November 2024, 15:23

A passenger plane attempting to take off from a Dallas airport in Texas has been struck by a bullet.

The plane was taking off from Dallas Love Field Airport in Texas when it was hit by a bullet close to the cockpit.

The bullet struck the plane at around 8.30pm local time on Friday - 2:30am on Saturday in the UK timezone.

Passengers safely exited the passenger plane, with no passengers harmed in the gunfire on the Boeing 737-800.

The bullet reportedly caused some damage to Flight 2494.

The flight was subsequently cancelled and removed from service.

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In a post on X, Dallas Love Field Airport said: "Dallas police responded to a security incident involving a commercial aircraft at Dallas Low Field Airport.

"Runway 13R/31L was briefly closed but has since reopened. No injuries were reported, and there was minimal impact on airport operations."

A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, which was operating the flight, said the bullet is thought to have "struck the right side of the aircraft just under the flight deck."

The attack on the Dallas flight comes just two days after two commercial airplanes were struck over Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.

The Spirit Airplanes flight is thought to have been shot at as it attempted to land in the capital, having arrived from Florida. The flight was then diverted to land in the Dominican Republic.

One flight attendant was reportedly injured.

Soon after the incident, a flight operated by JetBlue was hit by a bullet as it took off from Port-au-Prince on its way to New York.

The incidents are allegedly linked to gang violence.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has subsequently prohibited US airlines from flying to Haiti for the next month.