WestJet plane makes emergency landing at Kelowna airport

WestJet says it will redirect all passengers to the next available flight.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Kelowna announces that a plane departing from Kamloops, British Columbia, which was to go to Calgary, Alberta, landed in #x27;emergency Thursday at Kelowna International Airport.

Sergeant Michael Della-Paolera says the RCMP and the Fire Department were on hand to help the airport emergency team. He adds that the plane landed safely and operations at the Kelowna airport have returned to normal.

WestJet airline confirms that its flight 3252 from Kamloops to Calgary, with 75 passengers on board, landed in Kelowna due to a mechanical problem. The company says it will redirect all passengers to the next available flight.

Megan Norton, one of the passengers, says she was sitting near a window that was not far from the craft that no longer worked. She says as soon as the craft started making noise and smoke, she texted her mother and filmed what was happening.

According to Megan Norton, flight attendants told passengers everything was under control and asked them to buckle up. Then the pilot claimed, she said, that the engine had failed, but the plane was able to land safely in Kelowna.

Kelowna Airport Operations Manager Phillip Elchitz confirms that it was a mechanical problem that started shortly after takeoff. One of the machines was not working. At approximately 3:40 p.m., we were notified of a mechanical problem on a commercial flight.

“We went from forward with our emergency response procedures and I am happy to say the flight arrived safely and all passengers exited the aircraft safely.

— Phillip Elchitz, Operations Manager, Kelowna International Airport

Phillip Elchitz clarified that the plane was not on fire when it landed, but that will be examined to find out what happened.

With information from Dana Kelly and Winston Szeto< em>