VASCO
An Air India flight en route to Mumbai was forced to abort its take-off early Wednesday morning after a bird strike incident at Dabolim Airport.
The incident occurred at approximately 6.55 am, as the aircraft carrying 116 passengers was preparing for departure.
No injuries were reported, and passengers were reportedly accommodated on another flight to Mumbai later in the day.
According to Airport Director M C Jayachandra, the flight was in the process of taking off when an alert Air Traffic Control (ATC) noticed smoke emanating from the left engine.
“The take-off was immediately aborted upon the ATC’s alert. The aircraft was then moved to the apron, where all passengers were safely de-planed. This is a serious matter, and we will be addressing this issue with the Indian Navy,” said Jayachandra.
Top sources at the Dabolim say that the initial reports suggest that the bird strike involved a peacock, which caused significant damage to the aircraft’s engine.
Sources indicate that a replacement engine will need to be transported to Dabolim Airport to complete the necessary repairs.
The incident has raised concerns about bird activity near the airport, prompting further investigation by the authorities.
