Boeing 757 carrying 176 passengers, 6 crew landed safely, United says
Aviation expert says safety of commercial air travel ‘never been better’ despite recent accidents
Aviation expert Mike Boyd joins ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss Americans’ lower confidence in plane travel and recommends air traffic control upgrades.
A United Airlines flight carrying nearly 200 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after a "possible mechanical issue" mid-flight, the airline said.
The Boeing 757 took off just before 6 a.m. from Newark Airport and was flying toward Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to flight tracking data.
About one hour into the flight, the pilots turned the plane around and returned to Newark, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told WPIX-TV.
An airline spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that there were 176 passengers and six crew on board the flight when a potential mechanical issue occurred.
MAN WITH LIFELONG FEAR OF FLYING REVEALS WHY AMERICANS SHOULDN'T WORRY AS EXPERT ALSO WEIGHS IN
A United Airlines flight was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and make an emergency landing after a "possible mechanical issue" mid-flight. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images, File)
"United flight 1544 to Las Vegas returned to Newark Liberty International Airport to address a possible mechanical issue," the spokesperson said. "The flight landed safely, and all passengers deplaned normally at the gate."
United provided passengers with a different aircraft to continue their travel to Las Vegas, the spokesperson said.
The airline did not immediately specify what kind of mechanical issue is believed to have occurred.
The emergency landing is the latest in a concerning trend of recent air travel incidents in the U.S.
A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to return to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday morning after a "haze" filled the cabin, according to the airline. Passengers evacuated the aircraft upon landing safely, and no injuries were reported.
DELTA RELEASES NEW INFORMATION ABOUT CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER FLYING PLANE THAT CRASHED IN TORONTO
Last week, two small planes collided midair at a regional airport in Arizona, killing two people.
An American Airlines flight with nearly 200 people and 15 crew members onboard was diverted and escorted by Italian fighter jets due to a "security concern" on Sunday while flying from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport to New Delhi, India. The airline did not specify the cause of the security concern.
Earlier this month, a Delta Air Lines flight burst into flames and flipped upside down while landing at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport. Everyone on board survived the ordeal, though injuries were reported.
An American Airlines plane collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people last month. Less than 48 hours later, a medical ambulance flight crashed in Philadelphia, leaving seven people dead.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
