Southwest Airlines Confirms Incident
DALLAS - Dec. 8, 2005 - Southwest Airlines' Flight 1248 veered off the runway at Chicago Midway Airport at approximately 7:15 p.m. CST onto Central and 55th Ave. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 was enroute from Baltimore/Washington to Chicago Midway. The aircraft departed Baltimore/Washington at 4:50 p.m. CST. The flight was expected to land at 6:30 p.m. CST. The flight circled Chicago Midway Airport landing at approximately 7:15 p.m. CST.
The preliminary passenger list indicated the aircraft carried 98 passengers with a crew of five, although this is subject to confirmation. The names of any passengers will not be released until the appropriate family members have been notified.
Southwest Airlines' officials are in direct contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as they perform an investigation into the cause of this accident.
A toll-free number has been established by Southwest Airlines to assist friends and family members wanting information about passengers onboard Flight 1248. That number is (800) 922-9525. Periodic updates will also be posted on the Internet at www.southwest.com.
A news advisory will be issued when a media briefing time has been determined. Subsequent briefings will be held as needed.
All flights leaving Chicago Midway Airport have been temporarily suspended/delayed. Passengers with specific questions on flights can call 1-800-435-9792 or log on to www.southwest.com for updated information.
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