Delhi-Bhubaneswar flight suffers bird strike

Bhubaneswar, March 10: Around 100 passengers and crew members had a narrow escape as a GoAir flight on Thursday, March 10 suffered a bird strike, officials said.

All the passengers and crew members of Delhi-Bhubaneswar GoAir flight were safe and there was no loss to property, Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) authorities said, adding that though the flight made a safe landing, an inspection thereafter found blood stain and remains of the bird on the fuselage of the plane.

"GoAir flight G8-162 Bhubaneshwar–Delhi was delayed by 50 minutes at Bhubaneshwar airport due to bird hit en-route. Post inspection and clearance from the authorities, the flight finally took off at 0920 hrs," said a GoAir spokesperson.

Stating that bird hit was not new at the BPIA here, the airport sources said while 19 bird hits were reported in 2011, it was 18 in 2012 and 10 times each in 2013 and 2014.

Eleven bird hits were reported till November 6, 2015. Though the authorities of airport and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed to be taking steps to avoid bird hit incidents, the menace continues.

PTI