A FedEx cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Saturday morning after birds hit one of the engines, causing it to burst into flames in mid-air, A2 CNN reports.
According to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Lenis Valens, the fire was confined to the engine and there were no injuries. There were three people on board, who safely disembarked after landing.
According to LiveATC audio recordings, the crew immediately reported the bird strike and requested a return to the airport. The incident caused a temporary disruption to air traffic, but operations quickly resumed. FedEx confirmed the incident and praised the professionalism of the pilots and emergency crews.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced they would investigate the incident. Bird strikes are a known hazard to aviation, with over 19,000 reported in the US in 2023 alone, although they rarely cause major damage. (A2 Televizion)
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