The sudden maneuver was made during a Friday flight out of California after two collision safety alerts sounded in the cockpit, causing the pilots to take evasive action, the airline said.

Minutes after takeoff Friday, a Southwest flight leaving Burbank, California, rapidly descended because another aircraft was in the area, injuring two flight attendants and frightening passengers, according to officials and those on board.

A Southwest Airlines jet heading to Las Vegas from Southern California took a dramatic plunge shortly after take off in response to an alert about a nearby plane, sending some passengers flying out of their seats and injuring two flight attendants.