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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — One passenger aboard a Southwest Airlines plane that made an emergency landing in Oakland, California, today says, "I don't mean to sound dramatic, but it was scary."
The plane circled for several hours over the airport before landing with possible landing gear problems.
The Chicago-bound flight took off from Oakland at around 6 a.m. and landed just over four hours later. There were 139 passengers on board. No injuries were reported, but some passengers were shaken by the ordeal.
Passenger Ashley Stasio says, "People were holding hands." She says, "Everybody was on their phones," apparently sending message to loved ones.
A TV station (KRON) reported that a front tire on the landing gear had blown out.
According to Stasio, the captain reported soon after takeoff that there were issues with the plane. Later, he told passengers the plane wouldn't be going to Chicago, and would instead be burning off fuel. She says by the time the plane was ready to land, passengers were watching news of the emergency landing online.
Stasio says it was a smooth landing.
%@AP Links
195-a-11-(Stephanie Sult, passenger, Southwest Flight 2547, with reporters)-"visible to everybody"-Southwest passenger Stephanie Sult says people didn't get nervous until the plane was ready to land. (23 Dec 2015)
<<CUT *195 (12/23/15)££ 00:11 "visible to everybody"
193-a-09-(Stephanie Sult, passenger, Southwest Flight 2547, with reporters)-"the pilot explained"-Southwest passenger Stephanie Sult describes the noise that was heard. (23 Dec 2015)
<<CUT *193 (12/23/15)££ 00:09 "the pilot explained"
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