Spirit Airlines passenger says cabin prepared for a possible water landing after flight suffered an apparent mechanical issue

The cabin of a Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida became a scene of panic and confusion Sunday when passengers were told to prepare for a possible water landing after the aircraft was turned around due to an apparent mechanical problem, a passenger told CNN.

The cabin of a Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida became a scene of panic and confusion Sunday when passengers were told to prepare for a possible water landing after the aircraft was turned around due to an apparent mechanical problem, a passenger told CNN. The Airbus plane, which was headed to Fort Lauderdale, reversed course and safely returned to Montego Bay, Jamaica, “out of an abundance of caution following a suspected mechanical issue,” the airline said in a statement. The passengers were deplaned and later put on a different plane to reach their destination. The incident happened after a record-breaking start to the holiday weekend for airline travel. The Transportation Security Administration announced it set a new record for most travelers screened in a single day on Friday, according to a post from the agency on X. Passenger Bettina Rogers captured video of the plane’s takeoff in which a chiming signal can be heard twice in the cabin, though the meaning of the signal is unclear. Shortly after the signal, the pilot told passengers there was “nothing to be alarmed about,” Rogers said. About five minutes later, the pilot informed passengers the plane needed to return to the Montego Bay airport, Rogers said. But as the plane turned back, she said, the pilot announced, “Prepare for emergency water landing.”