Patna-Delhi IndiGo flight with 169 passenger makes emergency landing due to...

An IndiGo Airlines flight (6E 5009) from Patna to Delhi, with 169 passengers, experienced a bird strike shortly after departing from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna on Wednesday morning.

The flight took off from Patna at 8:42 a.m. when the bird strike occurred and subsequently returned to the airport.

"IGO5009 Patna to Delhi reported bird hit after takeoff at 0842 IST, one dead bird in pieces found on runway during inspection. The same was advised to the aircraft through the Approach Control Unit. Message received from the approach control unit that aircraft requested to come back to Patna due to vibration in one engine. Local stand-by declared and aircraft landed safely at 0903 IST on runway 7. All passengers are safe," a statement issued by Patna airport said.

Slaughterhouses in the Phulwarisharif area near Patna Airport attract birds. The Airports Authority of India has consistently raised concerns about bird activity near the airport with the state government due to the presence of these abattoirs.

Patna Airport is one of the 11 most critical airports in India, facing challenges from multiple obstructions and a short runway.

The Bihar government has asked the Centre to deploy a multidisciplinary team to evaluate the obstructions and recommend solutions. Bihar Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena communicated with the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation in June about this issue. The Central team is still pending. The Centre has yet to respond to the state's request for the multidisciplinary team.

In a related event, an IndiGo flight was halted just before takeoff in Bhubaneshwar last month. The Kolkata-bound flight 6E 6101 was canceled due to a bird strike while on the runway.

"While the aircraft is undergoing necessary assessments before resuming operations, an alternative aircraft has been arranged to operate the flight. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen reason and all efforts are being made to minimize it including offering them refreshments and sharing regular updates about the flight. At IndiGo, safety and security of our customers and crew are of utmost importance to us," an IndiGo spokesperson said.