news
On the flight to Shenzhen, China, issues arose due to an engine failure caused by a bird strike.
A Hainan Airlines flight that departed from Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff due to a fire on board. The flight headed to Shenzhen, China, encountered trouble when a bird strike caused an engine failure. Italian Coast Guard officials reported that the bird strike posed a threat to the aircraft’s 249 passengers and 16 crew members.
While bird strikes are relatively common, they can be dangerous, especially if they impact an engine. Fortunately, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner safely returned to Fiumicino after dumping fuel over the sea. Despite the emergency landing, there were no reported delays to air traffic, according to an Italian airport official. Italian sources indicate that the plane will undergo thorough checks to assess the extent of the damage, as flames were visible on the right engine while the aircraft was in the air.
The Dreamliner 787-9, bound for Shenzhen, took off at 9:55 a.m. local time and managed a safe landing following the incident. Bird strikes with aircraft are not rare; last year, The Mirror reported a similar case where a pilot was left covered in blood after a bird shattered his windscreen mid-flight.
Hainan Airlines right now FCO ✈️ pic.twitter.com/MBmOKgaEuO
— 🅼🅰🆁🅲🅾 © 💭 🐺 (@JOOP99999) November 10, 2024
The airlines also issued a statement on X and explained the reason for the mishap. “A bird on the right engine of Hainan Airlines flight HU438 (Rome-Shenzhen) struck the aircraft during takeoff on November 10, 2024. In order to assure safety, the crew promptly complied with protocol and went back to the airport.
async=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOn November 10th , 2024, Hainan Airlines flight HU438 (Rome-Shenzhen) encountered a bird strike on the right engine during takeoff. In order to ensure safety, the crew promptly returned to the airport according to procedures.
— Hainan Airlines (@HainanAirlines) November 10, 2024
“The flight landed safely at Fiumicino Airport in Rome at 11:06 am local time (18:06 Beijing time), and all passengers have disembarked in an orderly manner. Passengers will receive appropriate follow-up assistance from Hainan Airlines,” the airline stated on X.
“We truly appreciate all passengers’ understanding and support and sincerely apologise for any inconveniences caused by this,” the post said.