Orlando-bound Southwest Airlines plane diverted after engine blows apart

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Southwest Airlines plane traveling from New Orleans to Orlando made an emergency landing Saturday morning after one of its two engines blew apart.

The plane, a Boeing 737-700, made an emergency landing at 9:40 a.m. CT in Pensacola after one of the pilots of Flight 3472 noticed a problem with the No. 1 engine, Southwest Airlines said.

There were no injuries to the 99 passengers and five crew members on board.

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"We have notified the (National Transportation Safety Board), and when authorized, we will be inspecting the aircraft to assess the damage," the airline said in a release. "The aircraft is out of service, and we will work to accommodate the passengers to Orlando or their final destination as soon as possible."

The image of the blown apart engine was posted to Twitter by the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association.

Southwest released the following additional statement later Saturday:

"When we have an operational event that results in aircraft damage and/or passenger or crew injuries, that can trigger a review or investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). When the NTSB decides to launch an investigation, we give the Board our immediate cooperation so that we are able to properly streamline information and avoid speculation (especially this early).

"If you do not see an update from us, that is because we are working behind-the-scenes with the NTSB to follow this process."

The NTSB has called the incident an "uncontained engine failure" and is investigating.

Cox Media Group