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Southwest Airlines flight to Hawaiian island plunges, comes within 400 feet of Pacific Ocean: Report

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Southwest Airlines flight to Hawaiian island plunges, comes within 400 feet of Pacific Ocean: Report


A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft came within 400 feet of slamming into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai after weather conditions forced pilots to swiftly change course. 

A Southwest Airlines memo to pilots, obtained by Bloomberg News, detailed Southwest Flight 2786 from the April 11 flight from Honolulu International Airport to Lihue Airport in Kauai.

Passengers were left white-knuckled after the aircraft dropped from nearly 16,000 feet to an altitude of 409 feet.

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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet departs from San Diego International Airport en route to Denver on January 13, 2024 in San Diego, California.  (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

According to the Southwest memo, the incident occurred following an aborted landing attempt due to bad weather that blocked pilots from seeing the runway at the specified altitude.

The memo noted that the captain opted to put the “newer” first officer in command of the 100-mile interisland flight, despite the pending weather.

The less-experienced first officer “inadvertently” pushed forward on the control column, which controls the plane’s pitch and roll, then cut the speed, causing the airplane to rapidly descend. 

The Makua Reef, Tunnels Beach and the Haena Beach Park on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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The pilot’s aggressive movement prompted the warning system to sound the alarm that the passenger aircraft was getting too close to the terrain.

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The memo said that the captain ordered the first officer to increase thrust – prompting the aircraft to “climb aggressively” at 8,500 feet per minute.

Southwest Airlines Co is the largest low-cost carrier in the world with headquarters in Dallas, Texas and a fleet of 802 Boeing 737 planes. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The interisland flight, which should have been approximately 22 minutes long, departed Honolulu at 6:45 p.m., but following the incident, the plane returned to Honolulu at 8:09 p.m.

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No one was injured during the hair-raising ride.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said that “the event was addressed appropriately.”

“Nothing is more important to Southwest than safety,” the spokesperson said. “Through our robust Safety Management System, the event was addressed appropriately as we always strive for continuous improvement.” 

The Federal Aviation Administration told Fox News Digital that it is “investigating the incident.”

A United Airlines Boeing 777 flight, in Dec. 2022, plunged 775 feet. (United Airlines)

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The Southwest incident is reminiscent of the United Airlines Boeing 777 Dreamliner plunge incident which occurred off Maui in 2022.

The Boeing 777-200 reached an altitude of 2,200 feet about a minute after takeoff from Maui on Dec. 18, 2022, before plunging to 775 feet above sea level nearly 20 seconds later.

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“After landing at SFO, the pilots filed the appropriate safety report,” a United Airlines spokesman told FOX Business in a statement. “United then closely coordinated with the FAA and ALPA [Air Line Pilots Association] on an investigation that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training. Safety remains our highest priority.”

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Mississippi

Fort Worth youth baseball team rescued after floodwaters trap families in Mississippi

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Fort Worth youth baseball team rescued after floodwaters trap families in Mississippi


Members of a Fort Worth-area youth baseball team were among dozens of people rescued from rising floodwaters in Mississippi as Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rain and dangerous conditions to the Gulf Coast.

According to a release from Cajun Navy 2016, volunteers conducted multiple water rescues along the Biloxi River in Gulfport over the weekend as rainfall caused water levels to rise and flooded homes and roadways.

Among those evacuated were members of The Pickles, a Fort Worth-area youth baseball team.

Trey Williams, communications director for Cajun Navy 2016, said the rescue effort began when the mother of one of the players contacted the organization through Facebook seeking help. Initially, the situation did not appear urgent, but rising floodwaters overnight quickly changed conditions.

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“They were just wanting to get to their game,” Williams said. “But overnight, the water rose a great bit, and it really did become more of an emergency situation where we needed to get them out of that house.”

According to Williams, volunteers working alongside the Gulfport Fire Department evacuated 12 players, nine adults, and three dogs; two German shepherds and a Labrador, from the flooded property.

The group was staying in an Airbnb near the Biloxi River when floodwaters began surrounding the elevated home. Williams said fast-moving water and changing currents created dangerous conditions for rescuers and those trapped inside.

“The most important thing was that water was very swift and fast-moving,” Williams said. “In that situation, it’s always best to get people out of harm’s way.”

The team rescue was one of several operations conducted by Cajun Navy 2016 during the storm response.

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Williams said the rescue reflected the mission that inspired the organization after the historic Louisiana floods of 2016.

“It was neighbors coming together to help neighbors,” Williams said. “Every time we help somebody, they’re very grateful and relieved. In this situation, everybody was safe, everybody got out okay, and that’s why we’re here.”



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North Carolina

More than 100 vendors celebrate Father’s Day at Highland Brewing

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More than 100 vendors celebrate Father’s Day at Highland Brewing


Many Father’s Day events were held across western North Carolina, celebrating fathers, including at Highland Brewing, where a market was held.

Over 100 vendors applied to set up for the event on the longest day of the year.

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Event coordinator Monica Maybille says it’s important to treat fathers to a little gift.

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“It’s your dad. You gotta get stuff for your dad. They do a lot for you, so you got to treat them to a little treat sometimes,” Maybille said.

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The event included some dad-themed gifts, including grilling supplies and funny T-shirts.

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The next market at Highland Brewing is planned for August and will focus on back-to-school.



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Oklahoma

Oh, Hello: Four-Star Oklahoma LB Case Alexander Commits To Penn State

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Oh, Hello: Four-Star Oklahoma LB Case Alexander Commits To Penn State


Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Hometown/High School: Washington, OK (Washington H.S.)
Ranking: ★★★★ (92 Rivals — No. 123 player overall)
Notable Offers: Kansas State, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Utah

Not very often Penn State goes into Oklahoma and gets a prospect, let alone one that is a four-star that the Sooners very much wanted. Fortunately for Matt Campbell and the Nittany Lions here, the familial relationship paid off, as Case’s brother, Cooper, is a rising redshirt sophomore tight end at Penn State. Doesn’t take a lot of dot connecting to imagine how much that played a part in Case deciding on the Nittany Lions. Still, given the ebbs and flows of the recruiting cycle, not sure you can take any recruitment for granted. So despite the connections Penn State had here, getting a top 10 kid from Oklahoma that the Sooners wanted is a big victory for the new staff in recruiting cycle #1.

Beyond on who his brother is, there’s a reason Case was maybe *the* top linebacker target for Penn State this cycle. This kid is an absolute beast. Tremendous linebacker frame at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds that will allow him to play up to 240 pounds easy, Alexander is what you think of when you imagine the modern day middle linebacker. He has the speed and fluidity to drop back into coverage, but has the physicality and bruteness to win in tight. The first play on his highlight film is his giving a Spinebuster to a poor opponent that rivals that of Arn Anderson’s Spinebuster on The Undertaker at WrestleMania 18.



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