Image: Facebook – Marty Martinez 

A person has died and seven others have been injured after a jet engine came apart on a US passenger plane.

The Southwest Airlines flight from New York City to Dallas suffered mid-air engine failure, forcing an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport.

An engine on the plane’s left side blew, with shrapnel shattering a window and causing sudden cabin depressurisation.

A female passenger was partially sucked out of the broken window.

Other passengers managed to pull her back inside the aircraft but she was covered in blood, suffering critical injuries.

One witness says “several heroic gentlemen” tried to perform CPR on the woman but authorities have since confirmed her death.

There were 144 passengers and five crew on board.

The National Transportation Safety Bureau is now investigating.