MUMBAI- Late Monday night (May 20, 2024), an Emirates (EK) Boeing 777 collided with a flock of flamingos over the Laxmi Nagar area of Pantnagar, Ghatkopar, resulting in the deaths of 36 birds (flamingos), according to forest officials.
SY Rama Rao, the Additional Chief Conservator of Forests for the Mangrove Protection Cell, reported that 36 flamingo bodies were found in the area. A search has been initiated to determine if there are more casualties. He confirmed that the birds were hit by the flight and that the search for affected flamingos is ongoing.
Emirates Hit Flamingos in Mumbai
Deepak Khade, the Deputy Conservator of the Mangrove Protection Cell, stated,
“Airport authorities have confirmed the bird strike near Laxmi Nagar (northern end of Ghatkopar East).”
Prashant Bahadure, a range forest officer with the Mangrove Protection Cell, added, “I went to the airport, but entry was denied. The airport authorities informed us that an Emirates flight hit these flamingos. We received a call from local residents, and the incident likely occurred between 8:40 pm and 8:50 pm. Our team arrived on the scene by 9:15 pm.”
An airport source informed HT that Emirates flight EK508 reported a bird strike upon its arrival at Mumbai airport at 9:18 pm. The flight, on its final approach for landing, touched down safely. The aircraft is currently grounded, and engineers are being flown in to inspect it.
D Stalin, an environmentalist with the NGO Vanashakti, commented, “The reasons behind the birds flying into the airplane are being investigated. My theory is that new power lines through the sanctuary area are disorienting the birds. These should never have been allowed. There were many alternative routes. The wildlife board, which previously prohibited power lines inside sanctuaries, gave in to the power company, leading to the construction of towers and the disruption of the Thane Creek Wildlife Sanctuary.”
Stalin also suggested, “There might be an indirect link between this incident and CIDCO, which has promoted the idea that bird strikes pose a risk to the Navi Mumbai Airport (NMI). The wetlands in the NRI complex area and TS Chanakya lakes are habitats for flamingo flocks. Efforts have been made since last month to disturb these birds and convert the water bodies into construction sites. If someone chased the birds at night, they might have flown towards Thane Creek and consequently collided with the aircraft.”
Flight Details
According to FlightRadar24 data, Emirates flight EK508 took off from Dubai (DXB) at 12:34 PM UTC. The flight operated smoothly until its approach for landing at Mumbai (BOM).
At around 3:00 PM UTC (8:30 PM IST), the flocks of flamingos hit the 777 and they were killed, aircraft also sustained damage.
The flight was operated by 9 years and 8 months old Boeing 777-300ER, registered as A6-ENT.
Following the incident, the return flight EK509 to Dubai was cancelled and the aircraft is still grounded at Mumbai Airport.
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The post Emirates 777 Damaged After it Hit Around 40 Flamingos in Mumbai appeared first on Aviation A2Z.