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Delta passengers en route to South Carolina forced to evacuate via slides after after haze fills plane, videos surface
Delta Flight 876 was on its way to Columbia, South Carolina, when "haze inside the aircraft was observed," a Delta spokesperson reportedly said.
Another Delta Air Lines tragedy took place after passengers had to evacuate via slides on Monday, February 24, after the plane was filled with haze and possibly smoke too. Delta Flight 876 was on its way to Columbia, South Carolina, when "haze inside the aircraft was observed," a Delta spokesperson said, according to The Mirror. The FAA said "the crew reported possible smoke in the flightdeck," according to ABC News.
The Boeing 717 aircraft had 94 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants on board. The flight was forced to return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport where it landed safely, Delta and the FAA confirmed.
FAA to investigate the incident
Passengers deplaned with the help of Atlanta Fire Rescue, and injuries were reported. "There is a moderate impact to operations at this time," the airport reportedly said.
Footage of the incident shared on social media shows passengers exiting the plane via slides through all the emergency exits. Some people were seen walking on the plane’s wings. A different video shows smoke filling up the cabin as passengers sit in their seats.
The FAA will be investigating the incident. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience," a Delta spokesperson said.
This incident comes following a series of plane crashes, including an incident where a Delta airplane crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport last week. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated even after the plane ended up upside down on the tarmac.
Before the Toronto incident, there were two other deadly plane crashes in Philadelphia and Washington D. C., leading to several injuries and multiple deaths. The back-to-back tragedies have sparked a discussion on the potential influence of D. E.I. (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) on these crashes.
