The decision between wanting to sit in the window seat or the the aisle seat of an airplane can now be seen as a life or death decision. Tues. April 17, Jennifer Riordan was seated by the window of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 when the engine suddenly exploded, shrapnel cracking open the window and partially sucking her body through the window due to the air pressure. The window was too small to suck Riordan’s body out completely. A few passengers heroically stepped up and helped pull her back in.

Junior Owen Juneja has been a previous passenger of Southwest Airlines. Juneja recently flew to Iceland over spring break.

“As a previous passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight, I feel scared,” Juneja said. “ Had our flight suffered a similar malfunction, the person sucked out could have been one of my parents’ or me.”

Retired nurse, Peggy Phillips, was sitting in front of Riordan when the accident occurred and was quick to assist. Two other passengers, firefighter, Andrew Needum and Tim McGinty, both helped to pull Riordan back into the plane. As soon as Riordan was safely onboard, Phillips and Needum began performing CPR. All of these passengers risked their lives to potentially save Riordan. Despite their efforts, Riordan later passed away from her severe injuries.

Since the incident, there has been investigations taking place. According to the US National Transportation Safety Board, an initial investigation found evidence of one of the engine’s fan blades breaking off.

“I think the airline easily could’ve prevented this,” Juneja said. “From what I have read, it would’ve been very easy for the airline to check the engine and recognize the problem that resulted in the death of a woman.”

Other airlines using the similar CFM56-7B engine that exploded on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, including United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have publicized that they are taking precaution and have begun inspecting some of their aircraft.