Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

A United Express flight headed from Chicago to T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island was diverted to Rochester, N.Y. sometime after 10 this morning.

The aircraft with 63 passengers and four crew aboard, which had left O'Hare airport at 7:50 a.m. Central time, landed safely at the Greater Rochester International Airport.

David P. Damelio, director of aviation at the Rochester airport, said the plane was diverted after a pilot smelled and saw smoke. Damelio said the airport got an alert at about 10:12 a.m. Damelio said the smoke was apparently the result of a faulty air conditioner unit and dissipated after the aircraft landed.

Jeff Kovick, a United Airline spokesman, offered a different explanation for the airplane's diversion. He said a report of possible smoke in the cabin -- where passengers are -- of the CR7 aircraft led to its landing in Rochester at about 10:27 a.m. EDT as a precaution.

Kovick said the airline arranged for another plane to fly the passengers to Rhode Island and that they arrived in the Ocean State at about 2 p.m.

Kovick said the airline will fully assist in the investigation.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

 Tags  plane diverted T.F. Green Airport

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