'No emergency landing': IndiGo Patna-Delhi flight returns after bird hit, all 169 passengers safe

An IndiGo flight bound for Delhi was forced to return to Patna airport on Monday morning after a bird strike shortly after takeoff, but officials have clarified that no emergency landing was declared. Flight 6E 5009, which took off from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport at 8:42 am, was airborne for approximately 22 minutes before safely returning to the origin.

According to the airlines, there was no emergency landing. The pilot decided to return to Patna as a precaution after the bird hit. The landing was normal and all 169 passengers are safe.

The aircraft experienced engine vibrations after takeoff, prompting the pilot to alert the approach control unit and request a return. A statement issued by the airport confirmed, “Message received from the approach control unit that aircraft requested to come back to Patna due to vibration in one engine. Local stand-by declared and aircraft landed safely at 0903 IST on runway 7. All passengers are safe.”

Airport staff recovered parts of a dead bird from the runway during post-incident inspection.

Passengers were safely deboarded, and the airline offered them options for alternate flights or a full refund. “While the aircraft is undergoing necessary assessments before resuming operations, an alternative aircraft has been arranged to operate the flight,” the IndiGo spokesperson added. “We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen reason and all efforts are being made to minimize it including offering them refreshments and sharing regular updates about the flight.”

The aircraft was subsequently moved to the parking bay for inspection.

This is the second bird strike incident involving IndiGo in recent weeks. In June, a Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight from Bhubaneshwar had to abort takeoff due to a similar strike while taxiing.

(With inputs from Amit Bhardwaj, PTI)