Emergency inflatable slide ‘explodes’ inside Delta Air Lines plane

A flight attendant was injured during the incident

The slide reportedly deployed while the plane was at the gate (Twitter/@damorenooo)

An aircraft’s inflatable emergency slide “exploded” inside the plane on a recent Delta Air Lines flight, hitting a member of cabin crew like the “airbag of a car”.

Flight 520 from New York to Los Angeles had made an unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City on 10 June when the incident occurred.

The aircraft had landed in Utah due to a maintenance issue, with the captain saying that a “backup system’s temperature instrument was on the fritz that was needed for icing conditions,” reports the New York Post.

After all 168 passengers disembarked, the issue was fixed and everyone boarded the plane again at around 1pm local time.

However, an inflatable emergency slide at the rear of the plane was accidentally deployed while the plane waited at the gate, hitting a flight attendant.

They were taken to hospital for evaluation as a precautionary measure.

One passenger reportedly described the slide as “exploding” inside the plane, while another claimed that it forced a panel out of the door when it accidentally deployed, striking the crew member “like an airbag of a car”.

Passengers were again forced to disembark, while a second plane was arranged to depart from Utah at 4pm. Travellers were reportedly given 7,500 SkyMiles as compensation.

A Delta spokesperson told The Independent: “Delta flight 520, operating from New York-JFK to Los Angeles diverted to Salt Lake City due to a maintenance issue. While on the ground, the same aircraft’s slide was deployed by accident.

“In an effort to get our customers to their final destination as quickly and safely as possible, they were re-accommodated on a new aircraft.

“We apologise for the delay to their travel plans. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people.”

They also confirmed that the crew member has been discharged from hospital.