Southwest Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Window Breaks in Air

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A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 flying from Chicago to New Jersey with 81 passengers on board made an emergency landing Wednesday after one of its windows cracked without any cabin pressurization issue.

The aircraft was diverted to Cleveland for a safe landing. No reports of injuries or engine problems appeared. However, the incident came barely two weeks after an engine failed on a flight from New York to Dallas, sending shrapnel into the fuselage and killing a passenger.

The airline reported that the plane diverted to Cleveland for a maintenance review after crew members spotted the damage to one of the multiple layers of windowpane.

Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Brandy King said that the plane never lost cabin pressure — that would have triggered oxygen masks to drop down for passengers — and that the pilots did not declare an emergency before landing. Also King said there were no other mechanical problems with the plane, which was taken out of service.