Dubai-bound plane with 167 passengers 'catches fire' after bird strike

2023-04-24

Dubai-bound plane with 167 passengers on board ‘catches fire’ after being hit by a bird during take-off

FlyDubai Flight FZ 576 experienced a bird strike during take-off earlier today
Videos online appeared to show the aircraft in flames shortly after take-off

An passenger jet carrying 167 passengers to Dubai is understood to have caught fire after being hit by a bird during take-off earlier today.

Jagannath Niroula, a spokesman for Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said that an engine caught fire on the Flydubai plane shortly after take-off from Kathmandu and the fire had been brought under control.

Footage surfacing online appears to show flames coming from the Boeing 737-800 plane soon after it departed Nepal’s capital.

One video showed flames erupting from one of the engines twice, while another showed the loud aircraft gliding through the sky temporarily on fire.

A third video taken from another angle also showed the plane appearing to burst into flames twice, but ‘after following standard prodecure’, the pilots continued with their journey as planned to Dubai.

An aircraft carrying 167 passengers to Dubai is understood to have caught fire after being hit by a bird during take-off earlier today

Footage surfacing online appears to show flames coming from the Boeing 737-800 plane soon after it departed Nepal’s capital

Initially, it was understood that pilots were attempting to return to Kathmandu Airport where fire engines were waiting.

However, FlyDubai confirmed to MailOnline that Flight FZ 576 arrived at Dubai International just after midnight local time despite suffering a bird strike during take-off.

A spokesman for the airline said: ‘flydubai flight FZ 576 on 24 April 2023 from Kathmandu Airport (KTM) has safely landed in Dubai International (DXB) at 00:11 local time after experiencing a bird strike during take-off from Kathmandu.

‘Our experienced flight crew followed standard operating procedure and continued the onward journey after determining that the engine was within normal operating parameters.

‘The aircraft landed normally in Dubai and further inspection will be conducted. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to our passengers travel schedule.’

FlyDubai confirmed to MailOnline that Flight FZ 576 arrived at Dubai International just after midnight local time despite suffering a bird strike during take-off

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority said: ‘Flydubai flight number 576, (Boeing 737-800) Kathmandu to Dubai flight is normal now and proceeding to her destination Dubai as per the flight plan.’

Bird strikes can often cause planes to burst into flames. In fact, another Boeing 737 was forced to return to Ohio and make an emergency landing yesterday.

The American Airlines flight 1958 to Phoenix, Arizona, took off from John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 7:43am, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flights nationally, but landed back at the airport at 8:22am.

Witnesses on the scene said it was struck by a flock of geese as it took off, causing flames to shoot from the engine and create ‘wonky, pulsing noises.’

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