South
Terrified passengers ‘flew out of their seats’ during dramatic Southwest nosedive to avoid mid-air crash
Passengers aboard Southwest flight 1496 from Burbank, California to Las Vegas, Nevada, experienced a frightening few seconds when the aircraft took a sudden nosedive to avoid a midair collision shortly after takeoff.
The dramatic maneuver caused passengers to fly up out of their seats and into the ceiling as children and adults screamed, fearing the worst.
Two flight attendants are being treated for injuries, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Caitlin Burdi, who was on flight 1496, told Fox News Digital she had been on the same flight path before, so she knew the extreme turbulence was abnormal.
“About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty far, and I looked around, and everyone was like, ‘OK, that’s normal’,” Burdi said. “Then, within two seconds, it felt like the ride Tower of Terror, where we fell 20 to 30 feet in the air. The screaming it was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash.”
Southwest confirmed the crew responded to two onboard traffic alerts after takeoff, at about 11 a.m. local time, “requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts.”
The airline said the flight continued to Las Vegas, where it landed “uneventfully,” according to a statement.
“Southwest is engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to further understand the circumstances,” Southwest wrote. “We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and Flight Attendants in responding to this event. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
The FAA noted “another aircraft was in the vicinity while in Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center airspace.”
One flight attendant was dazed after hitting her head, passengers said. Another flight attendant announced he was quitting.
Following the dramatic drop, the pilot came on the intercom and said the plane had almost collided with another plane, and they had lost the air traffic control signal.
“It was absolutely terrifying,” Burdi said. “I just remember him saying, ‘What just happened was we almost collided with another plane, and I had to make the emergency attempt to go under because we lost service with the air traffic controller.’”
Other passengers on the fearful flight took to social media to share their experience.
“Myself & Plenty of people flew out of their seats & bumped heads on ceiling, a flight attendant needed medical attention,” stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore wrote in an X post. “Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us. Wow.”
The FAA said it is investigating.
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.
The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.
Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.
Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.
Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.
With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.
Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.
Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.
Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.
In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.
The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.
For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.
“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.”
While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.
With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.
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