Video: Airplane Lands Safely, Causeway Opens

July 11, 2014

[Updated] The Causeway has been closed this afternoon [July 11] as a precautionary measure due to a flight being diverted to Bermuda

A police spokesperson said, “A Jetblue flight has been diverted to Bermuda and in the abundance of caution [as per standard operational procedures] the Causeway has been closed until the safe landing of the airplane.”

Update 3.20pm: Emergency services are on scene, and the plane is now approaching the airport. We will update as able.

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Update 3.22pm: The plane has just landed, and all appears to have gone well from our view. Fire trucks are now approaching the plane.

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Update 3.35pm: A police spokesperson said, “The Causeway is once again operational and the Jetblue Airline has landed without incident.

“Apparently a red light came on in the cockpit indicating smoke, however the pilot did not see or smell smoke, but in the abundance of caution the plane was diverted to Bermuda. All 186 passengers and crew are safe and the plane is being ‎accessed.”

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Update 4.22pm: Video of the plane landing added below

Update 11.03pm: Fire Service spokesperson Leonard Davis reported that, “At approximately 2:47 pm on Friday July 11, 2014, the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service Airport Operations Division responded to a report of an A321 aircraft declaring an emergency.

“The Airport Operations Division responded to Jet Blue flight 409 which declared an emergency due to an activation of a smoke indication light in the cockpit. The flight was on its way from JFK New York to Punta Caucedo, Dominican Republic with 173 passengers and six crew members.

“The Airport Operations Division responded with six vehicles to their standby positions off the runway as the aircraft prepared to land. At 3:21pm the aircraft landed safely and taxied to an adjacent Apron where an external inspection of the aircraft was conduct by Fire Service personnel. No sign of smoke or fire were seen.

“The aircraft then proceeded to the main Apron at the L.F. Wade International Airport followed closely by several Fire Service appliances. Once on scene a more in-depth inspection of the aircraft was carried out using a thermal imaging camera. The cargo holds and avionics bay where checked identifying no signs of smoke or fire.

“During the airplane search, one of the passenger opened up one of the passenger doors resulting in an evacuation slide being deployed. There were no reported injuries as a result of the slides deployment. The aircraft was secured and an all clear was given.”

Update 11.32pm: The aircraft that diverted and arrived in Bermuda this afternoon departed LF Wade International Airport at approximately 11.20pm tonight. Stranded passengers are still at the airport awaiting departure on a replacement aircraft which arrived on island at approximately 10pm.

Update 11.59pm: Jet Blue flight 409 departed Bermuda a short time ago with passengers continuing on their journey to Punta Caucedo, Dominican Republic after being stuck in Bermuda for approximately eight and a half hours.

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  1. Flight Traveling From Nigeria Diverts To Island | Bernews.com | September 4, 2014
  1. Causeway open / 10 people in danger
    Causeway closed / hundreds in danger
    Who comes up with these policies?

    • dedick says:

      what is your logic behind that?

      • Scenario: act crashes with several casualties.
        Traffic is blocked from Blue Hole Hill to Dub City.
        How will emergency vehicles from Hamilton access L f wade?

        • micro says:

          With the bridge closed, one lane would be completely empty. I assume that is the idea anyway.

          I do agree it can create more of a problem than it aims to solve.

    • bda boy says:

      The point of closing the Cause Way is to minimize the amount of possible casualties that’s in the area and to keep pokey people out. Get all ya facts straight before you try and blast them on why they close it

      • Use the police to keep traffic moving so as to enable emergency vehicles from Hamilton to get to the airport as quickly as possible.
        FACT IS STRAIGHT

        • truth be told says:

          thankfully the emergency service personnel don’t take instructions from you.

          • carlos says:

            I dont know exactly happen but i told u right know if that airplane arrive at bermuda is because that its real serious u guys dont be heaters.but if anybody u guys was in the airplane at the moment i know somebody of you cry like baby so dont be heater be a human because u guys look like heaterand not be like human

          • carlos says:

            Dont be heater because everybody have the days count here or anywhere so shutt up because u go to have u days too

          • carlos says:

            U guys talking too much trash there heaters i am talk to truth be told mother

  2. Wondering... says:

    wondering why – if they’re closing the causeway for emergency landings – do they evacuate Ferry Reach or Clearwater Beach/St Davids as well (depending on the direction the planne is approaching from). why is one side of the airfield more “at risk” than the other?

  3. Terry says:

    Key word here is “Causeway”.
    The causeway runs from Blue Hole Hill to the footpath bridge at the airport.

    Planes don’t land over nor take off across this stretch.

    Kindley Field Road is the correct.

    Great day all.

  4. Ameboa says:

    40 acres I hope you are on the causeway when a plane lands on top of you

  5. Stacey says:

    Is there any news regarding the plane? Did it leave Bermuda already? A relative of mine was on the plane and there is no information available. I’ll appreciate any information aboout it. Thanks.

  6. mixitup says:

    I heard that there was a mishap once the plane landed.

  7. truth be told says:

    there was a time when ALL traffic had to stop when a plane was incoming over Kindley Field Road,but you young folk wont know about that.

    • Don’t know much about trains either but,hey we progress.

    • Karma says:

      I remember that….as a kid, when those roads closed for a landing or takeoff it was a great time for a bit of plane-spotting and a lifelong love of aviation…especially when the USAF was still there…interesting movements in those days!!!

  8. Common Sense says:

    40 Acres…

    There are two reasons why they close the causeway in a situation like this.

    1. To limit the number of possible casualties if there is an accident in the area.

    2. And two, the biggest reason why, is so that it is clear for emergency vehicles to get through if they need to! With it closed there are no civilians driving on it, so it is clear for emergency vehicles to go at all haste down there.

    If you really thought it would be closed to emergency vehicles, you must be daft.

    • micro says:

      What about people turning around?

      What about when traffic is backed up all the way up North Shore, Wilkinson Avenue/Harrington Sound Road? There’s still going to be people driving westward on those roads.

    • How will they get through the traffic ? Helos?

  9. carlos says:

    U guys talking too much trash there heaters

  10. Arthur Raynor - Atlanta says:

    Having attended dozens of aircraft emergencies in the past, I can say that closing the causeway for emergency aircraft landings was not a normal thing that was done in the past. As it now appears to be some sort of a new procedure, it would be nice for a public press release to be issued by those in authority so that the negative comments, unknown reasons and the mystery of guessing why it is done would be removed for the general public.
    Giving accurate knowledge/facts is very easy to do and is the key to eliminating controversy and keep some sort of harmony among the island residents.

  11. Curious George says:

    Heaters as in: Brrrrrrrrr I’m cold ?
    Or Haters ?
    Or am I just not hip enough to understand this term ?
    I’m sorry I just read this word in 4 different posts and though it was really funny Lol…….It brought tears to my eyes every time I have read it Lol……………

    I’m glad the airplane is safe.