US airline says plane apparently hit by gunfire on Dallas runway

WASHINGTON: Southwest Airlines said one of its planes was apparently hit by gunfire while preparing for takeoff at an airport in the US city of Dallas on Friday.

The plane “taxied safely back to the terminal at Dallas Love Field after a bullet apparently struck the right side of the aircraft just under the flight deck”, the airline said in a statement.

The incident happened as the crew was preparing for takeoff, it said.

No one was injured and the plane has been removed from service, the airline added.

The incident happened at around 8:30 pm Friday (0230 GMT Saturday), with the flight headed from Dallas, Texas to Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Southwest Airlines flight was taxiing for takeoff when it was “reportedly struck by gunfire near the cockpit”.

The plane returned to the gate where passengers disembarked the Boeing 737-800, it added in a statement.