IndiGo Flight To Delhi Makes Emergency Landing In Patna After Bird Strike
The aircraft, operating as flight IGO5009 and carrying around 175 passengers, landed safely at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport after declaring an emergency.
A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight was forced to return to Patna shortly after take-off on Wednesday morning, following a bird strike that caused technical issues in one of its engines. The aircraft, operating as flight IGO5009 and carrying around 175 passengers, landed safely at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport after declaring an emergency.
According to a statement released by the airport authority, the incident occurred shortly after departure at 8:42 AM. "IGO5009 Patna to Delhi reported bird hit after takeoff at 0842 IST, one dead bird in pieces found on runway during inspection. The same was advised to the aircraft through the Approach Control Unit. Message received from the approach control unit that aircraft requested to come back to Patna due to vibration in one engine. Local stand-by declared and aircraft landed safely at 0903 IST on runway 7. All passengers are safe," the airport statement confirmed.
The affected aircraft is currently undergoing inspection, and IndiGo is arranging alternative travel options for the stranded passengers to reach their intended destination, officials added, reported Livemint.
Recent Incidents Highlight Ongoing Bird Strike Risks
This latest emergency adds to a string of similar incidents involving bird strikes that have disrupted operations across Indian airports. Earlier this week, another IndiGo aircraft operating a flight from Patna to Ranchi had to make an emergency landing after being hit by a vulture mid-air. The aircraft was flying at an altitude between 3,000 and 4,000 feet and was approximately 10 to 12 nautical miles from Ranchi when the bird strike occurred.
“An IndiGo flight suffered a bird hit near Ranchi. It was approximately 10 to 12 nautical miles away from here at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet when the incident occurred. The IndiGo flight was coming from Patna to Ranchi, and the pilot had to make an emergency landing here,” said R R Maurya, Director of Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi.
That particular aircraft was originally scheduled to continue onward to Kolkata following its arrival in Ranchi.
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Bird Strike Also Affects Air India Service
On 23 June, Air India had to cancel its Thiruvananthapuram–Delhi flight following a suspected bird strike reported on the inbound leg from Delhi. Flight AI2454 from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram was believed to have encountered the bird during landing, which subsequently led to the cancellation of its return flight, AI2455, as a precautionary measure.
As bird strikes continue to pose a challenge for Indian carriers, aviation authorities are expected to step up monitoring and preventive measures around major airports.
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