A fiery FedEx plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Newark after it struck a bird and burst into flames just after takeoff, officials said.
The terrifying incident unfolded Saturday morning, shortly after the Boeing 767 lifted off from its runway at Newark Liberty Airport. FedEx Flight 3609 was supposed to run from Newark to Indianapolis, but the plane instead had to double back after colliding with a bird around 8 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark,” FedEx said in a statement. “The training, expertise, and professionalism demonstrated by our FedEx pilots was exemplary. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders.”
Video shared on social media shows the aircraft cruising through clear skies before it suddenly falters, catches fire, and then turns about, spewing smoke and flames as it races back to the tarmac.
In a separate clip, taken by a pilot on another flight, the cargo plane can be seen completing its emergency landing, touching back down in Newark around 8:07 a.m. as flames continue shooting from its side.
Audio captured by LiveATC also offers some insight into the chaos. At one point, someone can be heard saying: “We believe we saw their engine fall off the right wing.”
The FAA later confirmed the “strike damaged one of the Boeing 767’s engines,” but did not provide further details.
The fire was contained to the engine and there were no reported injuries among the three people onboard, said Lenis Valens, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. No details were provided regarding the plane’s cargo.
Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution, according to Valen, but operations have since resumed at the busy airport.
The emergency landing on Saturday is likely to further stoke a growing fear of flying in travelers, fueled by a recent string of aviation mishaps and disasters in recent weeks.
On Jan. 29, an American Eagle passenger plane carrying 64 people collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. Everyone onboard, including more than a dozen figure skaters, died in the crash.
All three soldiers on the military helicopter were also killed, making it the deadliest U.S. air disaster in more than 20 years.
Two days later, a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia, killing all six people onboard and a seventh on the ground. Another 10 lives were lost on Feb. 6, when a small commuter plane went down in western Alaska.
Surprisingly, no one was killed when a Delta plane flipped over and caught on fire during a crash-landing in Toronto on Feb. 17. However, more than 20 people were hospitalized after climbing out of the burning plane, and several have since filed suit for the severe injuries and emotional distress they’ve endured.
With News Wire Services
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