Southwest jet makes emergency landing in Oakland
A Southwest Airlines jet successfully made an emergency landing at Oakland Airport in Northern California on Wednesday (December 23) after reporting technical problems.
Southwest 2547 was en route from Oakland to Chicago's Midway Airport Wednesday morning shortly after 6 am local time with 139 passengers onboard when it reported a mechanical issue that various media outlets said may have been problems with its landing gear.
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Local media also cited a prepared statement from Southwest which said the Captain made the decision to return to Oakland after takeoff to "check a maintenance item on the aircraft".
The plane began circling in a holding pattern to release excess fuel before attempting the landing, local media reports said.
Media also reported that Oakland airport officials had placed the facility on a 'yellow alert" in preparation for the plane's landing.
Shortly after 11 am local time, a Southwest Airlines jet was seen descending in an approach to a runway at Oakland Airport before ascending again into the skies.
The plane made the successful landing on its next descent to the runway where it was met by numerous emergency vehicles.
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