Southwest flight plummets, injuring flight attendants

The drastic manoeuvre was necessary to avoid collision with another plane, according to reports.

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Flight 1496 from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Las Vegas plummeted rapidly, lifting passengers out of their seats and injuring two flight attendants.

The crew "responded to two onboard traffic alerts... requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts", Southwest said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was investigating the incident. It comes less than one week after a similar near-miss.

"Ensuring the safety of everyone in the national airspace system remains our top priority," the FAA statement added.