Southwest flight strikes birds, makes emergency landing in Cuba

A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Florida made an emergency landing in Cuba Sunday after a suspected bird strike caused smoke to pour into the passenger cabin, the airline said. 

Southwest flight 3923 departing from Havana, Cuba, to Fort Lauderdale “experienced bird strikes to an engine and the aircraft’s nose shortly after takeoff,” Southwest Airlines said in a statement to USA TODAY. 

“The Pilots safely returned to Havana where the 147 Customers and six Crew evacuated the aircraft via slides due to smoke in the cabin,” the airline added. “The Customers and Crew were bussed to the terminal upon arrival yesterday where medical staff assessed some minor injuries.”