Air India flight makes emergency landing in Raipur

An Air India aircraft taking off from Raipur for Delhi had to make an emergency landing after sustaining a bird hit. All the passengers are safe.

Raipur: A major accident was averted at the Swami Vivekananda Airport here Tuesday when an Air India aircraft taking off for Delhi had to make an emergency landing following a bird-hit.

Flight AIC469, with 179 passengers on board, took off from Raipur at 10 am but suffered a bird hit at 10:05 am. The pilot, showing presence of mind, quickly made an emergency landing. All the passengers were de-boarded and the flight was cancelled.

The A320 aircraft is now being checked by the airport inspector and engineers to ascertain the exact nature of the damage. The passengers were accommodated in another aircraft which left for Delhi at 3 pm.

Such incidents usually happen when an aircraft is taking off or landing because that is when it crosses a bird's flight path.