Bird-hit Saudi aircraft remains grounded, stranded flyers leave in a different flight

HYDERABAD: A bird-hit Saudi Arabian Airlines flight (SV 750) from Riyadh, which landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at around 5:10pm on Monday, remained grounded at the airport 24 hours after its scheduled return departure.

The passengers, who were supposed to travel back to Riyadh from Hyderabad, on this flight were accommodated in a different flight SV 744 on Tuesday, said an airport source.

According to sources, the fact that a bird had hit the aircraft was noticed only after the passengers normally disembarked.

After landing, while the aircraft was proceeding towards the parking bay, the pilot and co-pilot noticed that a bird had hit the nose of the plane.

“Once the flight landed, we realised there was a problem. Upon enquiry, someone in the ground staff told us it was a case of a bird hitting the plane,” said a passenger, who clicked some pictures.

The flight, which arrived in Hyderabad with nearly 70 passengers on board, was scheduled to depart at 7.30pm on Monday, but it is still grounded and is expected to return to Riyadh only in a day or two.

The nose of the aircraft needs to be replaced and various other safety aspects checked before the airplane can take off, said an airport official.

“The flight might have been hit by a bird, not at Shamshabad airport’s periphery but while it was enroute. We have not found any bird carcass at the airport and investigations are still going on,” said an airport source.

Passengers travelling to Riyadh had to wait it out at the lounge before they could embark on another aircraft to reach their destination.

“It was only after the flight landed at the airport and was on its way to the parking bay that the bird hit was noticed,” the source added.

A bird hitting an aircraft is nothing new, but is a big wake-up call for authorities to clear garbage and ensure food is not thrown in the vicinity as it can attract birds.