LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (KRQE) - The violent storm that blew through central New Mexico Tuesday
afternoon sent three incoming Albuquerque flights to other airports
and forced the brief evacuation of the Santa Fe Airport control
tower.
Continental Express Flight 2025 bound for Albuquerque from
Houston was diverted to first to Santa Fe, but bad weather there
sent the 50-seat regional jet to Los Alamos instead. The Santa Fe
control tower was evacuated when winds reached 70 mph.
The plane landed without incident although the Los Alamos Fire
Department was on hand and helped passengers exit the aircraft. At
about 6:20 p.m. the passengers were boarding a bus for Santa Fe and
Albuquerque.
A Southwest flight from San Diego to Albuquerque landed instead
in El Paso, Albuquerque Sunport spokesman Dan Jirón told KRQE
News 13. A Delta Skywest flight from Salt Lake City also was
diverted, but Jirón said he didn't know where it landed.