Delhi-Bound IndiGo Aircraft Diverted To Ahmedabad After Bird Hit In Surat, Says DGCA

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Surat was diverted to Ahmedabad after a bird was hit during a climb.

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Surat was diverted to Ahmedabad after a bird was hit during a climb, according to an official statement issued by the DGCA on Sunday.

"Due to a bird strike during climb at Surat, the Indigo A320 aircraft VT-IZI operating flight 6E-646 was diverted to Ahmedabad on February 26, 2023. The N1 vibration was 4.7. The plane arrived safely in Ahmedabad," according to the statement.

The engine fan blades were found to be broken during the ground inspection, news agency ANI reported citing an official statement from the DGCA.

"During the ground inspection, No.2 Engine fan blades were seen to be damaged. Aircraft declared AOG (Aircraft on Ground), "It said.

Earlier on February 25, an IndiGo flight from Cochin to Delhi was diverted to Bhopal due to a medical issue on board, the airline stated in a statement.

"Due to a medical issue on board, IndiGo flight 6E 2407 from Cochin to Delhi has been diverted to Bhopal. We apologise for any difficulty given to other passengers," as per the statement. 

Following landing in Bhopal, the airport's personnel swiftly offloaded the passenger and securely transferred him to the nearest hospital, according to a statement from Bhopal Airport.

In recent months, there has been an increase in reports of bird strikes on aircraft both globally and in India.

According to data from India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), bird strikes increased by 27.25 percent in 2021, rising from 1,152 incidents in 2020 to 1,466 in 2021.

The reports of bird strikes on aircraft have increased. According to an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) survey of data from 91 countries, airlines face an average of 34 bird strikes per day.

According to another survey conducted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), 97.5 percent of wildlife strikes include birds. Strikes involving terrestrial animals account for 2.1 percent, with bats and reptiles accounting for 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

Collisions between birds and aircraft can happen at any time, from takeoff to landing, and can cause damage to aircraft windscreens, engines, and fuselages. obliquely and in India in recent months.

(With Inputs From Agencies)