Southwest Airlines flight 3923 from Havana to Fort Lauderdale experienced a bird strike on climb out from runway six. The Boeing 737 MAX’s right engine “emitted three loud bangs and streaks of flames.” The engine caught fire and the passenger cabin filled with smoke.

The cockpit crew returned to the airport and landed safely, with passengers evacuated via slides on the left side while emergency crews sprayed the right engine.

Southwest Airlines plane fills with smoke after taking off from Havana, forcing it to make an emergency landing pic.twitter.com/Q1CmQKpYTn

— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) March 5, 2023

Passenger footage from flight WN3923 which made an emergency landing in Havana due to a bird strike

The aircraft was safely landed and the passengers were evacuated via slides due to the amazing work of the pilots and FAs

They are all fighting for new contracts from Southwest pic.twitter.com/UpbTRfF6ER

— Overheard At Southwest (@AtSouthwest) March 6, 2023

📹 Jupiter Martinez pic.twitter.com/RkwzXyP0jH

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) March 5, 2023

With Cuba travel not as relaxed as during the Obama administration, demand remains limited but it at its peak from South Florida. Even where airlines can’t make money on the primarily leisure-market that’s entirely one-sided with U.S.-originating passengers and high airport costs in Havana, U.S. carriers will squat their route authority.

Bird strikes are an ongoing threat. Usually just a single engine is affected, and smoke doesn’t penetrate the passenger cabin. A double bird strike is rare, that’s what happened to US Airways 1549 that ended up in the Hudson River. More often a plan just turns around as a precaution since it may only have one remaining working engine.