Digital News Guru Andhra Pradesh Desk:
Swift Action Saves Lives: Air India Express Emergency Landing After Suspected Bird Strike
On September 18, 2025, an Air India Express flight turned into a harrowing near-miss that underscored persistent safety risks in civil aviation. Flight IX 2658, en route from Visakhapatnam (Vizag) to Hyderabad, was forced to return to its point of origin less than half an hour after takeoff, following what is believed to be a bird strike that resulted in engine trouble. All 103 passengers onboard were safely deplaned with no injuries.
Timeline & Details
- The aircraft, an Air India Express Airbus A320, departed Vizag at 2:38 PM IST.
- Approximately nine minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported engine trouble to Air Traffic Control. The suspected culprit was a bird strike involving engine 2, occurring during the climb phase and roughly 10 nautical miles from Vizag airport.
- By 3:00 PM, just 22 minutes after departure, the aircraft had safely landed back in Vizag.
- The passengers deboarded without harm. The airline offered alternative flight arrangements, and some opted for refunds depending on preference.
Why Bird Strikes Are a Serious Concern
While this incident did not result in injury or catastrophe, it highlights a recurring safety issue: bird strikes. Several features make them dangerous:
- Critical Flight Phases: Bird strikes most often occur during takeoff or initial climb and during landing — phases where aircraft are closer to the ground, engines are under load, and pilots have less time / altitude to respond.
- Engine Damage: Birds ingested into engines or colliding with them can cause compressor stalls, broken fan blades, or damage to intake structures. Even a single engine issue is serious, especially in twin-engine aircraft, though modern aircraft are certified to continue flying with one engine.
- Increasing Frequency: Indian data shows that animal hits to flights (mostly bird strikes) have been rising. According to DGCA-reported statistics, confirmed bird strikes in India in 2024 numbered 1,278 incidents — roughly three per day — up significantly from past years.
- Geographical / Environmental Factors: Airports located near wetlands, agricultural land, or areas with open waste dumps tend to attract birds. Nearby habitat, airport perimeter management, and local practices (like waste disposal) can greatly affect bird activity.
Responses & Aftermath
- Investigations Underway: Authorities are investigating to confirm whether the engine trouble was indeed caused by a bird strike (as suspected), or if other factors were involved.
- Aircraft Certification: Before the aircraft returns to service, it will have to undergo safety checks and certification to ensure the engine is fit for continued operations.
- Passenger Welfare: Airline and airport authorities are making alternate arrangements such as re-booking, refunds etc., to minimize inconvenience.
Broader Context: How Frequent & How Dangerous
This is not an isolated or rare issue in India:
- Airports see multiple bird strike incidents per day. DGCA data suggests over 1,200 incidents in 2024, up from ~500-600 in previous years.
- Major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad etc. are among those that register the highest numbers. For example, Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru) had 535 bird strikes from 2022 till May 2025.
- Most bird strikes do not cause fatal accidents, but they can lead to emergency landings, aborted takeoffs, maintenance costs, delays, and in worst cases, engine failure. The frequency and risk exposure grow with increasing flight operations and airport traffic.
Lessons & Implications Moving Forward
The Vizag-Hyderabad flight incident reveals some key lessons:
- Speed of Response Matters: The pilot recognized trouble swiftly and made a safe decision to return, which likely prevented further damage or worse.
- Safety Over Schedule: Even though passengers faced disruption, safety protocols worked as intended. It is better to sacrifice schedule than risk safety.
- Airport Surroundings Need Attention: Given that the bird strike happened during ascent, likely close to the airport, this raises questions about what bird-attracting features exist in airport vicinity. Waste, water bodies, open areas should be better managed.
- Cost to Airlines & Passengers: Such emergencies lead to cancellations, delays, maintenance costs, insurance implications, etc. For passengers, apart from immediate fear, there is inconvenience.
- Regulatory Push: Increased frequency of such instances may push DGCA and airport authorities toward stricter norms, better habitat control, and more investment in mitigation tech.
Conclusion
While Flight IX 2658 ended without tragedy thanks to competent crew and prompt action, the incident is a reminder that bird strikes remain a tangible and growing aviation safety risk. With India seeing several such incidents per day, the pressures on both regulators and airports to improve preventive strategies are mounting. Mitigation isn’t just about avoiding delays — it’s about protecting lives, maintaining confidence in air travel, and ensuring safety is never compromised.
Authorities will need to work on both short-term fixes (better wildlife control around airports, faster detection) and long-term strategies (policy, habitat regulation, technology). For air travellers, this incident serves as both a cautionary tale and a reassurance that safety protocols, when followed, can avert disaster.
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