[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] An American Airlines passenger jet struck birds while taking off from a U.S. airport, sending flames shooting from one of its engines. The plane immediately turned back and landed safely.
According to ABC, CNN and other foreign media outlets, American Airlines Flight 1760, which was traveling from Myrtle Beach, State of South Carolina, to Charlotte on the 10th local time, hit birds shortly after takeoff. Radio communications at the time showed the captain alerting air traffic control to the emergency, saying, "Mayday, mayday, mayday. We have an engine problem."
There were 181 people on board, including passengers and crew.
Another pilot who witnessed the incident from the ground said over the radio, "It appears to have hit birds," adding, "It looks like a bird may have gone into the left engine at least."
Video taken by a passenger on board showed flames briefly erupting from the aircraft's engine as it flew over the sea.
A witness on the coast also said they heard several loud explosion-like sounds and saw an orange flash from the aircraft's left wing.
The captain decided to turn back immediately after the incident, and emergency response teams were dispatched at the airport to prepare for the aircraft's landing.
Fortunately, the plane landed safely and no injuries were reported.
As the aircraft returned, airport officials reportedly found several dead birds around the runway.
Meanwhile, data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that more than 24,000 cases of wildlife-aircraft collisions were reported in the United States last year.
Bird strikes are considered a persistent hazard in aircraft operations. The risk is especially high during takeoff and landing, when planes fly at lower altitudes and closer to the ground.
Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
