Airliner makes emergency landing at Norfolk airport

An airliner with over 200 people on board diverted to Norfolk International Airport after experiencing engine problems while in flight Sunday morning.

According to Robert Bowen with Norfolk International Airport, United Airlines flight 1470, a  Boeing 757, left Newark Liberty Airport at 9:21 a.m. en route to Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic with 213 people on board. About two hours into the flight, the crew reported that their right engine had shut down. They were able to restart it, but decided to divert to the airport in Norfolk out of an abundance of caution.

The aircraft landed safely at 11:45 and taxied to a United gate. Bowen said a mechanic was checking out the plane, but a spokesperson with United Airlines told 13News Now that a replacement aircraft would be sent to Norfolk to complete the planned flight. She said the plane would be coming from Newark, and would leave there at around 2 p.m., with arrival expected in Norfolk at around 4 p.m.

She wasn't sure when the replacement flight would actually depart Norfolk for Santa Domingo.