Southwest Airlines B 737’s Engine inlet torn away in flight.

The Boeing 737-700, flight #3472 was flying from New Orleans to Orlando early Saturday when it suffered the engine failure, causing the jet to divert to Pensacola International Airport in northern Florida at 9:40 a.m. CDT,

Photos taken aboard showed the B737-700’s engine inlet completely torn away, revealing extensive structural damage to the engine nacelle that hangs underneath the wing. The spokesman said the failure caused a depressurization of the cabin.

The 737 was flying around 30,700 feet and climbing before it began descending around 9:23 a.m. CDT.

CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and France’s Safran SA, is the sole supplier of engines to Boeing for the single-aisle 737. Southwest is the single largest operator of the single-aisle workhorse jetliner in the world.

All 99 passengers and five crew aboard are safe.
Source  :  Wall Street journal