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Southwest passenger who died after major engine failure has been identified as a Wells Fargo VP and mother of 2

Jennifer Riordan was a vice president of community relations at Wells Fargo and a married mother of two.

  • The passenger who died in Tuesday's accident aboard
  • Riordan was a vice president of community relations at Wells Fargo.
  • She is survived by her husband and two children.
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The passenger who died aboard a Southwest Airlines flight on Tuesday has been identified as Jennifer Riordan of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Riordan, 43, was publicly identified by an assistant principal at the Albuquerque school attended by her children, the Associated Press reported.

Riordan had been a vice president of community relations at Wells Fargo since 2008. According to her LinkedIn page, she was in charge of the bank's public relations, internal communications, community involvement, and work with nonprofits.

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Before that, she served in a similar position Citigroup. Riordan was a graduate of the University of New Mexico.

A media briefing by the National Transportation Safety Board's chairman, Robert Sumwalt, on Tuesday first confirmed that a passenger had been killed in an accident. An hour later, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly sent out a video message and press release. Neither revealed the passenger's identity.

"On behalf of the Southwest family, I want to extend my deepest sympathies for the family and the loved ones of our deceased customer," Kelly said in the video message. "They are our immediate and primary concern and we will do all that we can to support them during this difficult time."

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 suffered a catastrophic failure of its left engine while en route from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Dallas Love Field. The Boeing 737-700 made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport shortly before noon local time.

Photos of the aircraft indicated the front portion of the CFM56-7B engine including the fan blade had sheared off. Shrapnel from the disintegrating engine punctured the fuselage and a window, causing the cabin to depressurize. In addition to Riordan's death, seven other passengers were injured.

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  • Southwest passenger's death was the first in a US passenger airline accident in more than 9 years

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