Southwest passengers sue over fatal blast

Southwest Airlines failed to properly maintain the Dallas-bound plane that experienced a fatal engine explosion after taking off from LaGuardia Airport, a lawsuit filed by passengers on the flight alleges.

The Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit stems from Southwest Flight 1380, which had to make an emergency landingin Philadelphia in April after an engine exploded 20 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 32,500 feet.

Wells Fargo exec Jennifer Riordan, a married mother of two, suffered a gruesome death after she was nearly sucked out of the Boeing 737 when metal fragments broke a window. Riordan, 43, was pelted by shrapnel.

Her estate is not a plaintiff in this lawsuit. The plaintiffs are eight passengers and the husband of one passenger who is claiming loss of intimacy with his wife.

“Defendant Southwest Airlines had a duty to reasonably monitor, inspect, test, service, maintain and repair the aircraft and the engine to keep its aircraft reasonably safe for its passengers, or to remove from service aircraft that were not reasonably safe,” the suit states.Boeing, as well as components companies GE Aviation Systems, Safran USA and CFM International, are also being sued.

Southwest, Boeing, CFM and Safran declined to comment.

GEO Aviation Systems did not immediately respond to requests for comment.