Full emergency declared at Delhi airport, FedEx flight suffers bird-hit
What's the story
In yet another aviation-related incident in India, a full emergency has been declared at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi on Saturday after a FedEx flight reportedly got hit by a bird. According to the news agency ANI, an airport official revealed that the incident occurred right after a Dubai-bound FedEx flight took off from the national capital's airport.
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IGI Airport official says full emergency declared
Full emergency declared at Delhi airport after Dubai bound FedEx aircraft suffers bird-hit soon after take-off: Airport official
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2023
Further information
Here's what DGCA said after incident
According to an official statement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the FedEx cargo flight was involved in an air turnback after a reported bird hit at an altitude of around 1,000ft. "Delhi Airport (DIAL) declared an emergency. Aircraft landed back safely. After inspection, it has been released for flight," the country's aviation authority was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
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When is full emergency declared?
To note, a full emergency at an airport is reportedly declared when there is a danger of an accident that may lead to loss of lives and/or property due to an approaching plane, as per Free Press Journal. While bird hits are not so uncommon, such incidents can pose serious technical challenges to operators and also be fatal in some cases.
More information
Bird hits AirAsia's Lucknow-Kolkata flight
In a similar incident on January 29, a Kolkata-bound AirAsia India flight made an emergency landing at the Lucknow airport after a bird hit it during take-off. "Flight i5-319, scheduled to operate from Lucknow to Kolkata, encountered a bird strike during the take-off roll. As a result, the aircraft returned to the bay and was grounded for detailed inspection," the airline's spokesperson told ANI.
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Similar emergency at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
Not long ago, a full emergency was also announced at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on February 24. Air India Express's IX 385 flight from Calicut (also known as Kozhikode) to Dammam was rerouted to the state capital over suspicions of an alleged hydraulic failure. Reportedly, the plane's tail part hit the runway during take-off from the Calicut International Airport.