Air India flight collides with bird at takeoff in Raipur, returns to runaway

On Tuesday, officials claimed a Delhi-bound Air India flight had to abort takeoff after being hit by a bird while ascending on the runway of Raipur's Swami Vivekanand Airport. Flight AIC 469, with 179 passengers on board, was flying from Raipur to Delhi when it was hit by a bird at 10.05 am, causing the takeoff to be cancelled, according to Raipur Airport Director Rakesh Ranjan Sahay. He said that the passengers were de-boarded. During an assessment of the runway by airport employees, pieces of a bird's carcass were discovered. He announced that the aircraft is being inspected by Air India engineers.

Renuka Singh was among the passengers

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh was also among the passengers. Her personal staff stated she was travelling to Delhi for a meeting of the Union cabinet. Officials say that bird strikes can sometimes cause serious damage to an aeroplane. They stated that the exact damage to the Air India aircraft will be determined after a thorough investigation by the engineering personnel.

Recently, on September 6, a similar incident occurred when an airline reported that a Delhi-bound Indigo flight that took off from Guwahati suffered a bird strike in the engine and landed safely in Guwahati, with all passengers and crew members safe. According to IndiGo's statement, after a bird strike, while taking off, flight 6E 2329 from Guwahati to Delhi landed safely at Guwahati airport on September 6. There were no injuries to any of the 99 passengers or six crew members. The bird strike damaged the aircraft's engine, thus the pilots opted to return to the original airfield right away. The carrier reportedly arranged for another aircraft to Delhi, and the customers were placed on the next flight that day.

Airlines experience an average of 34 bird strikes per day

According to an ICAO survey that included data from 91 nations, airlines experience an average of 34 bird strikes per day. The monetary cost of the damage is more than $1 billion every year. However, nearly 92 per cent of airstrikes cause little damage. The airport's location has a significant impact on the number of birds that pose a threat on the runway. 

(With inputs from PTI/ ANI)

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