Bird strike forces Delhi-bound IndiGo flight to return to Patna airport; all passengers safe
There were 175 passengers and crew onboard | Alternate travel arrangements being made for stranded passengers
PTC Web Desk: A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight was forced to return to Patna shortly after takeoff on Wednesday morning following a bird strike that caused a technical snag in one of the aircraft's engines. All 175 passengers and crew onboard are reported safe, according to the airport authorities.
Flight IGO5009 had taken off from Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport at 8.42 am when the pilot reported abnormal vibrations in one of the engines, suspected to be caused by a bird hit. During runway inspection, officials confirmed finding the remains of a bird, which corroborated the incident.
A statement from the airport read, “Bird remains were discovered on the runway post-departure. The aircraft experienced engine vibrations and requested an immediate return. A local stand-by was declared. The flight landed safely at 9.03 am on Runway 7.”
IndiGo officials confirmed that the aircraft is undergoing detailed technical inspection. Meanwhile, alternate travel arrangements are being made for the stranded passengers to continue their journey to Delhi.
No injuries were reported, and safety protocols were followed as per standard aviation procedures.