MONTREAL — WestJet Airlines said on Wednesday it plans to “accelerate” inspections of certain fan blades on some Boeing 737 engines, following an explosion that killed a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight in the first fatal U.S. airline accident in almost a decade.
READ MORE: Passenger killed after engine fails, window shatters on Southwest Airlines flight
Calgary-based WestJet said it is “in compliance” with European regulators which require operators to inspect by 2019 certain fan blades on some engines produced by the French-U.S. joint venture, CFM International.
WATCH: Debris from Southwest plane that had engine break apart, found in Pennsylvania
Southwest Flight 1380 made an emergency landing on Tuesday after the same type of engine ripped apart in flight, shattering a window on the Boeing Co 737 and nearly sucking out a passenger.
READ MORE: Audio released of Southwest Flight 1380 emergency
The plane, carrying 144 passengers and five crew members, was flying from New York’s La Guardia Airport to Dallas when part of the left engine cover ripped off and a window was damaged.
The pilots took the plane into a rapid descent and made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.
— With a file from Global News reporter Adam Frisk