Mumbai-bound AI flight lands safely after bird strike

An Air India Boeing 777 flight carrying 313 people on board returned here, soon after take off, following a bird hit that damaged its left engine.

No one was injured in the incident in which the aircraft, operating the Mumbai-bound flight AI 144, took off from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, at about 4:30 pm Sunday local time.

The flight was grounded, as it landed at about 5 pm local time, due to the "loss of the port (left) engine", after the bird hit, an AI official told PTI.

Passengers were deplaned and provided hotel accommodation and alternative arrangement were being made by the airline to bring them back.

Men and material have been flown from Delhi to repair the damage, the official said.

Onboard the flight were 18 passengers in business class and 274 in economy class, and rest were crew members.