NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Orlando, Florida, made an emergency landing Saturday morning due to a major problem with one of its two engines.

Flight 3472 from New Orleans diverted the airplane to Pensacola, Florida, after the pilot detected something had gone wrong with an engine, according to a Southwest statement.

The jet, a Boeing 737-700, landed in Pensacola around 9:40 a.m. CDT with no apparent injuries to the 99 passengers or five crew members on board, according to Southwest.

 Pictures taken from the plane and posted online made it appear that part of the engine had blown apart, but Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said there was no explosion. He said Southwest will work with investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause.

It’s rare for Southwest or any other major airline to have such serious engine trouble, said Michael Boyd, president of airline consulting firm Boyd International.

“It’s a one-off, almost unheard of,” Boyd said Saturday. “Southwest has an outstanding safety record because it spends a lot of money on maintenance.”

After making the emergency landing, the plane was taken of service. Southwest said it was trying to find alternative way to get the passengers aboard the flight to their destinations.

Southwest Airlines released the following statement about the flight:Today, the Captain of Flight #3472 from New Orleans to Orlando made the decision to divert to Pensacola due to a mechanical issue with the number one engine.  The flight landed safely without incident at Pensacola International Airport at 9:40 a.m. central time.  Initial reports indicate there were no injuries among the 99 passengers and five crew members on board.  We have notified the NTSB, and when authorized, we will be inspecting the aircraft to assess the damage.  The aircraft is out of service, and we will work to accommodate the passengers to Orlando or their final destination as soon as possible.

The Federal Aviation Administration released the following statement:Southwest Airlines flight 3472, a Boeing 737, from Louis Armstrong New Orleans Intentional Airport to Orlando International Airport was diverted due to an apparent engine malfunction. The flight declared an emergency and landed safely at Pensacola International Airport just before 9:45 AM Central Time. The FAA will investigate.

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