13.12.2024 16:20
An American Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing due to a bird strike on its engine. The aircraft, which had taken off from LaGuardia Airport and was headed to North Carolina, struck a bird while flying over the shores of Long Island and was redirected to JFK International Airport.
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The American Airlines flight departing from LaGuardia Airport had to make an emergency landing due to a bird strike on its engine. Passengers reported experiencing fear of death.
The flight, numbered 1722, took off at 7:20 PM on Thursday, heading to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. However, shortly after crossing the Long Island coast, it was redirected to JFK International Airport. According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the bird that struck the engine of the Airbus A321 caused significant damage, and the right engine was completely disabled.
The aircraft continued its flight on one engine and landed safely at JFK. Videos shared on social media show the moment the bird struck the engine and the explosion that followed.
Passenger Amy Stamper from Tennessee said, "I thought I was going to die. I was very scared. There were a few small explosions, and a fire broke out."
Eric Halili, 43, stated, "It was a very traumatic experience, and waiting for more than an hour to get our luggage made the situation worse. You wanted the day to end, but it didn't." Halili, a father of two, shared that his family was the first thing that came to his mind during the moment of danger, and he experienced the fear of "not being able to return to them."
Misleidy, 26, returning from her honeymoon, said, "I missed my first flight. This was the second one. I guess this was God's plan. People were scared, and I was a little scared too. It sounded like a car explosion. We shook a bit."
American Airlines announced that there were no injuries in the incident. Hotel accommodations were provided for passengers heading to Charlotte, and it was announced that the flight would take place on Friday morning.
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