Flight 1496 was headed to Las Vegas when it received an onboard alert that another aircraft was in the vicinity, according to the FAA.

Passengers aboard a Southwest flight leaving Burbank, California, have spoken out after their plane rapidly descended after takeoff, resulting in two flight attendants being treated for injuries.

The Southwest flight 1496 to Las Vegas swiftly descended to avoid a midair collision after takeoff from Burbank.

Alarms sounded in the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines jet shortly after taking off from Hollywood Burbank airport near Los Angeles on Friday, prompting evasive maneuvers, the airline said in a statement.

The Southwest Boeing 737 departed just before noon local time on Friday for a scheduled flight to Las Vegas. Six minutes after takeoff, a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet crossed less than two miles in front of the Southwest plane, passing within a few hundred feet of the same altitude, according to flight tracking site Flightradar24.

What felt like a free‑fall for passengers on Southwest Flight 1496 may prompt serious questions about air safety and how close is too close?