Delta Airlines Boeing plane loses emergency slide in mid-air after JFK takeoff

A Delta Airlines flight was forced to return to New York’s John F Kennedy Airport on Friday after an emergency slide billowed out from above a wing.

The Boeing plane, bound for Los Angeles, was forced to land back in NYC at around 8.35am.

Delta Airlines flight 520 declared an emergency after cabin crew noticed a "flight deck indication related to the right wing emergency exit slide, as well as a non-routine sound from near the right wing," Delta told The Independent.

Cabin crew “reported a vibration”, the Federal Aviation Administration said as it confirmed it was investigating the incident.

In a statement released to The Independent, Delta confirmed that the Boeing 767-300ER had been removed from service.

“As nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, Delta flight crews enacted their extensive training and followed procedures to return to JFK,” the spokesperson said. “We appreciate their professionalism and our customers’ patience for the delay in their travels.”

The airline said there were 176 passengers on board the plane, as well as two pilots and five cabin crew.

The incident is the latest in a string of issues involving Boeing’s aircraft.

The FAA is currently investigating issues relating to tyres, cabin pressure and various engine or mechanical issues, according to its incidents page.

Boeing is under scrutiny by the United States Congress, with a company whistleblower stating that the 787 Dreamliner is unsafe for operation, after an emergency door “blew out” on an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this year.

The airplane manufacturer isn’t just seeing problems in the United States. On Sunday, a Boeing 737 was forced to make an emergency landing in South Africa after a rear wheel exploded during take-off.

The company’s CEO and two other executives announced their resignations at the end of March.

The Independent has approached Boeing for a statement on this latest incident.