Southwest Airlines Plane Hit by Equipment After Landing at Midway

Witnesses said some passengers were preparing to get off the plane when "the entire plane starts to violently shake like something ran into the plane"

A Southwest Airlines plane was hit by “a piece of ground equipment” after landing in Chicago Thursday night.

The equipment struck the aircraft then the jetbridge as customers waited to deplane flight no. 163 from LaGuardia to Midway Airport, according to a statement from Southwest Airlines.

“The aircraft is out of service for maintenance,” the statement read. “No injuries were reported.”

Witnesses said some passengers were preparing to get off the plane when "the entire plane starts to violently shake like something ran into the plane.”

"Everyone was screaming and the pilot told everyone to get down," Edward Messagle, of Mundelein, told NBC News.

Passengers said they waited on the plane for at least an hour before deplaning.

Some witnesses reported seeing a baggage cart apparently on fire, but officials did not immediately confirm that information.

Southwest said all 143 customers and five crew members eventually deplaned via air stairs.
 

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