Delta flight braves Irma for quick stop in Puerto Rico

NEW YORK – A daring Delta Air Lines crew that flew in and out of Puerto Rico as Hurricane Irma’s wind and rain approached is garnering kudos.

The flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 shared a radar image showing the plane heading into San Juan from New York just before noon Wednesday as the swirling storm was set to engulf the island.

The plane took off less than an hour later with a new group of passengers for the return trip to New York.

Radar images show it navigating a narrow path between Irma’s outer bands to escape the storm.

Delta executive Erik Snell praises the quick turnaround. He says meteorologists for the Atlanta-based airline worked with the flight crew and agreed that it was safe to fly.