In a concerning incident at Portland International Jetport in Maine, a Southwest Airlines jet took off from a closed runway, forcing airport employees to hastily clear out of the way. Air traffic control recordings released by LiveATC.net reveal that both controllers and pilots repeatedly warned the crew of Southwest 4805 that the runway was closed.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into the incident. Southwest Airlines has stated that it is actively cooperating with both regulatory authorities in their probe.

According to the Portland International Jetport, the runway in question had been closed overnight for a taxiway construction project for the past few months. It typically reopened each morning at 5:45 a.m. Astonishingly, the tower at the airport was also closed during overnight hours.

The air traffic control recordings captured several moments of warning and confusion. One voice over the radio alerted, "There's an airport vehicle." Another voice quickly added, "The Southwest pulling on to 29, just so you know there is a vehicle on the runway and it is still closed." However, it appears that the Southwest pilots were unaware of these warnings as they were communicating on a different radio frequency with regional air traffic controllers near Boston.

The Boston controller later informed Southwest that they had departed three minutes before the runway reopened. The Southwest pilot responded, "I thought it opened at :45. There was no markings or anywhere." The controller clarified, "It did open at :45, but you departed at :42." The pilot expressed disagreement, stating, "That's not what we're showing, but ok."

The FAA confirmed to CNN that the runway was closed at the time of the incident and clarified that the "airport vehicle exited the runway before the plane began its takeoff roll." It remains uncertain how close the plane came to colliding with the runway crew. The tower controller informed the workers over the radio that he was aware "you were on the runway and had to exit" due to the takeoff.

Southwest Airlines assured that the flight "continued safely to its destination," but referred additional inquiries to the NTSB. The NTSB has stated that it is currently investigating the incident and anticipates releasing a preliminary report next month.

This alarming incident adds to a series of safety concerns involving Southwest Airlines. Investigators are currently examining other recent incidents, including Southwest flights that dangerously neared crashes near Oklahoma City and one of the Hawaiian islands. Additionally, a rare in-flight swaying phenomenon, known as a Dutch roll, is also being investigated.

As the investigation unfolds, stakeholders hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to the runway incident and implement necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.