A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 carrying 176 passengers had to urgently return to New York JFK shortly after takeoff on Friday morning when an emergency exit slide detached from the aircraft.
The flight, DL520 bound for Los Angeles, departed around 8 am but encountered the issue during its initial climb.
Pilots received a warning about the detached slide on the right-hand wing and also heard an unusual noise near the wing area, prompting them to declare an emergency and head back to JFK.
After landing, photographs revealed the emergency slide pack had indeed separated from the aircraft during takeoff.
The 33-year-old plane has since been grounded for assessment by engineers to determine the cause of the detachment.
Delta managed to arrange a replacement aircraft for the passengers of flight 520, who eventually departed for Los Angeles.
Delta emphasized their commitment to safety, commending their flight crew for following procedures and ensuring customer safety.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation into the incident.
