Delta Air Lines Boeing plane loses emergency slide mid-flight, crew hears 'non-routine' vibrations

After an emergency slide billowed off a Delta Air Line aircraft after takeoff Friday, the Los Angeles-bound Boeing plane was forced to return to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Delta Air Lines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Flight 520 safely returned to JFK airport at around 8:35 a.m. Friday.

Authorities said that the plane's crew alerted air traffic control after hearing a "non-routine" vibration from near the right wing.

The crew also "observed a flight deck indication" that the emergency slide had fallen off.

Delta Air Lines said that the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft had 176 customers on board, as well as two pilots and five flight attendants, at the time the emergency was declared.

The plane landed safely at JFK and passengers proceeded to LAX on another aircraft. 

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 passenger plane arrives at JFK International Airport in New York City. Delta Air Lines Flight 520 was forced to return to the New York City airport on Friday morning. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Atlanta-based airline said that the aircraft was removed from service.

Local authorities are investigating where the emergency slide landed.

Delta Air Lines said that the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft had 176 customers, two pilots and five flight attendants on board the plane at the time the emergency was declared. (David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The FAA and Delta teams are investigating the incident.

"As nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, Delta flight crews enacted their extensive training and followed procedures to return to JFK," a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"We appreciate their professionalism and our customers’ patience for the delay in their travels," they added.