Photo: Dmytro Aksonov / iStock / Getty Images
A Hainan Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome after a bird strike caused an engine fire shortly after takeoff. The incident occurred on Sunday (November 10) on flight HU438, which was bound for Shenzhen, China.
The Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner encountered the bird during takeoff, leading to flames and smoke trailing from its right engine. Video footage of the incident was shared on social media, showing the plane flying overhead with visible flames.
In response to the bird strike, the flight crew made a U-turn and performed a 'fuel dumping' procedure over the sea for 54 minutes to reduce the aircraft's weight before landing safely back at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. FlightAware tracking showed the aircraft circling over the Tyrrhenian Sea before making the emergency landing.
There were no reported injuries among the 249 passengers and 16 crew members on board. The aircraft will remain grounded until an investigation into the incident has been conducted.
In a statement, Hainan Airlines said, "On November 10th, 2024, Hainan Airlines flight HU438 (Rome-Shenzhen) encountered a bird strike on the right engine during takeoff. In order to ensure safety, the crew promptly returned to the airport according to procedures. The flight landed safely at Fiumicino Airport in Rome at 11:06 am local time (18:06 Beijing time), and all passengers have disembarked in an orderly manner. Hainan Airlines will ensure proper follow-up assistance for passengers. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused by this, and we really appreciate all passengers for their understanding and support."
You see flames shooting out of the engine in the video below.