Jackson Rathbone, his wife and their 2-year-old son were on board a JetBlue flight that made an emergency landing in Long Beach, California on Thursday, and in a series of tweets the Twilight alum recalls praying with his family during the terrifying ordeal and grabbing his toddler during their escape to safety.
Flight 1416, an Airbus A320 aircraft, was carrying 142 passengers and five crew members passengers and was set to fly from the city, located south of Los Angeles, to Austin, Texas and was in the air when one of its two engines malfunctioned, an Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told NBC Los Angeles. The pilot reversed course and landed the plane back in Long Beach about half an hour after take-off, at around 9:30 a.m. The main runway at the airport was shut down for several hours due to the scare.
Passengers, including 29-year-old Rathbone, his wife Sheila Hafsadi and their son Monroe, evacuated the plane via an inflatable slide.
"Thank you Jesus and the pilot of this plane," tweeted the actor, who played the vampire Jasper in all five Twilight movies, alongside a WhoSay photo.
The three were not injured, while four people were treated on the scene and one of them was later taken to a hospital after complaining of shortness of breath, a fire department official told CBS Los Angeles. JetBlue had said in a statement on its blog that "an area crewmember has accompanied one customer who requested transport to an area hospital for observation."
"We're working with customers for re-accommodation on alternate flights," the message added.
Check out more of Rathbone's account of the scary flight and its aftermath, including photos.
Thank you Jesus and the pilot of this plane. http://t.co/6XCKsQHc9Y
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014We were on @jetblue flight 1416 to Austin from Long Beach. Our right engine exploded and our cabin filled with smoke. http://t.co/QpvuAuoPDM
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014"The oxygen masks did not deploy, but the brave stewardesses came around and manually deployed them," he said. "It was rough, the plane was rocking..."
"I recited the Lord's Prayer as I held my son and my wife in my arms," he said. "The pilot came on the PA and let us know we lost the right engine."
"We were told to brace as we careened sharply back towards land," he said. "Guided by our pilot, and I believe our guardian angels, we landed safely.
"Over the PA, the pilot yelled "Brace!" The stewardesses made it into a chant," he said. "I wrapped my arm around us. And we braced."
"We landed safely. It wasn't even all that rough, honestly," he said. "I just couldn't stop kissing my family and thanking my God."
"The doors were thrown open, once on the tarmac," he said. "The stewardesses yelled for us to get out and as far away from the airplane as possible."
"I grabbed my son and jumped down the inflated ramp, my wife following," he said. "We left all our personal effects onboard. Who cares. We were alive."
We're safe. I'm grateful. http://t.co/ajCmhIJDv3
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014In the bus. Passengers are getting angry. Everyone is still rattled. http://t.co/sdd14HrAPe
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014From the bus, we all just followed one after another. I never felt so okay being a lemming. http://t.co/gKCPNqQ6X9
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014Where are we going/ don't care we're alive- face. http://t.co/lo0pYZnfgJ
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014Leading us to some @jetblue "sorry you're plane's engine exploded" room at the LB airport. http://t.co/x14biqlkCT
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014"In the room, 'FUN' is predominantly displayed on the walls," he said. "While I'm glad we're okay, this isn't fun. (Well- the ramp jump was... Kinda.)"
There's a form for everything. Even when the engine goes out on your plane a thousand feet in the air. http://t.co/dPaFULG8OQ
? Jackson Rathbone (@JacksonRathbone) September 18, 2014