As Hurricane Irma was swirling about in the Atlantic picking up speed on Wednesday, a Delta pilot bravely flew directly into it and landed his passengers safely.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Delta Flight 431 took off from New York on Wednesday and headed straight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. On the way, the plane narrowly avoided the worst turbulence by flying through the outer bands of the storm.
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Once they landed, the flight crew was able to deplane the passengers and get back in the air within 51 minutes.
See Radar Photos of the Flight Here
As Hurricane Irma barrels through Florida currently, government officials have pleaded with residents of the state to evacuate, but some are standing their ground instead.
Initially reported by the New York Post, many Floridians have chosen to board up their windows and doors and just ride out the storm.
“No. 1, I don’t have anywhere to go,” said Carl Roberts, a Florida attorney. “Hurricane damage is primarily water rising. And I’m on the 17th floor. I have security shutters, so I should be quite safe here.”
Roberts is said to have an abundance of Chinese food, a case of bottled water, and a near-priceless view of the action from his 17th-floor condo on the Gulf front.
He claims that those are all the essentials he needs in order to make it through the storm.
Over in South Beach at Mac’s Club Deuce, the operators have boarded up, but wrote “We’re Open Irma” on the plywood covering the windows.
Inside, the jukebox is still on and patrons are still enjoying a drink and playing pool.
“Where am I going to go?” Kathleen Paca, one of the club’s frequenters said. “It’s not going to be that bad. I’m on the second floor and have impact windows. I’ve thrown coconuts at my windows and they don’t break.”
Paca and Roberts aren’t the only ones either. There are many Floridians who are choosing to wait it out rather than abandon their homes and head to safer areas.
