Southwest Airlines pilots – Captain Tammie Jo Shults and Officer Darren Ellisor – spoke publicly for the first time about the harrowing moments that took place April 17 after their plane’s left engine exploded shortly after takeoff from La Guardia Airport in New York, writes Matthew Haag for The New York Times.

Captain Shults and Officer Ellisor told their story recently on ABC’s 20/20.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 landed safely at Philadelphia International Airport about 20 minutes after the engine failure.

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In the explosion, a piece of the engine broke off and slammed into a passenger window, shattering it. The passenger sitting in the window seat later died from blunt force trauma.

The two pilots have been praised, including during a White House visit with President Donald Trump, for bringing the plane under control and averting a far more tragic outcome.

Read more about Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 in The New York Times by clicking here.

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