Hyderabad-bound Air India Express flight makes emergency landing in Vizag over suspected bird-hit

An Air India Express flight from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad with 103 passengers made an emergency landing here on Thursday, following an engine problem after a suspected bird hit mid-air, said an official.

Visakhapatnam Airport Director N Purushottam said the pilot of Air India Express flight number IX 2658 requested for the emergency landing and returned to the port city after abandoning the journey to Hyderabad.

“After departing Vizag, the pilot reported some problem in the engine. So, he asked for an emergency landing and returned to Vizag. The flight landed safely and passengers were deboarded,” Purushottam told PTI, adding that alternative arrangements were made by the airline.

According to the director, the aircraft departed Vizag at 2.38 pm and returned by 3 pm, travelling only around 10 nautical miles while the bird hit was suspected to have occurred while ascending.

Meanwhile, Air India Express confirmed to PTI that one of its aircraft suffered a bird hit at Visakhapatnam and returned to the airport after take-off.

“One of our aircraft suffered a bird strike at Visakhapatnam and returned to the airport after take-off. The flight had to be cancelled pending certification of the aircraft’s feasibility to return to service,” said an Air India Express spokesperson in a statement.

“We regret the inconvenience and have offered multiple options to the impacted guests, including complimentary rescheduling to our next flight on the same day, or a full refund if they elect to cancel,” the spokesperson added.