Delta flight to FLL makes emergency landing at Tampa

Passengers aboard a Delta flight to Fort Lauderdale had a sky-high scare when a change in cabin pressure forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Tampa.

Delta Airlines Flight 2353 diverted to Tampa International Airport after a mechanical issue was detected mid-flight, according to an airline spokeswoman.

The pilot never lost control and was able to make a “controlled landing,” she said. There were also no reported injuries.

A spokeswoman for Tampa International said the plane landed just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, and was not treated as an emergency. The airport’s operations and fire-rescue team were not alerted, she said.

But it was still a scary experience for passengers.

Twitter user @BrutusOsceola posted photos of the dangling oxygen masks, with flight attendants checking on passengers.

“God Bless the Captain and crew,” he wrote. “Had an emergency midair from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale. Oxygen masks deployed and we descended quickly … I texted my wife and dad I loved them. Told my mom I love her and hugged my son.”

The airline sent a statement to the Miami Herald apologizing for the incident, and says the landing was done as an “abundance of caution” after crews noticed an irregularity in cabin pressure.

“We apologize to our customers on flight 2353 from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, which diverted to Tampa out of an abundance of caution and landed without incident following a cabin pressurization irregularity en route,” Delta’s statement reads.

The plane will remain out of service as technicians work to determine what caused the malfunction. As for the passengers, they were bused to Fort Lauderdale and arrived Wednesday night.

Real Time/Breaking News Reporter. There’s never a dull moment in Florida — and I cover it. Graduated with honors from Florida International University. Find me on Twitter @TweetMichelleM