Bird Strike Forces Emergency Landing of IndiGo Flight in Ranchi; All 175 Passengers Safe

Ranchi, 2nd June 2025: An IndiGo flight en route to Ranchi was forced to make an emergency landing this afternoon after a bird strike involving a vulture caused significant damage to the aircraft. The incident occurred at 1:14 pm, just a short distance from Birsa Munda Airport.

According to airport authorities, the aircraft was flying at an altitude of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 feet when the collision occurred. The bird strike, which involved a large vulture, led to a visible dent in the front section of the plane.

The pilot maintained the aircraft in the air for about 40 minutes before safely landing at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport. All 175 passengers on board were reported safe. The airport director, R.R. Maurya, confirmed the emergency landing and praised the pilot’s alertness and timely response.

“The pilot demonstrated presence of mind and ensured a safe landing. The aircraft is now being examined by engineers and is undergoing repairs,” said Maurya.
The IndiGo flight was originally scheduled to proceed to Kolkata after Ranchi. However, the aircraft remains parked at the Ranchi airport for inspection and repair.

Why Bird Hits Are Dangerous for Aircraft
The incident has once again raised concerns over the dangers of bird strikes — known in aviation as “bird hits” or “bird strikes” — which can pose serious risks to aircraft safety, particularly during take-off and landing.

Scientific studies have shown that when a bird weighing 1.8 kg collides with a high-speed aircraft, the force generated can reach up to 3,50,000 Newtons. For context, this is about 130 times more than the force generated by a 40-gram bullet fired from a gun.

In another example cited by ABC Science, a 5 kg bird hitting an aircraft at 275 km/h can cause an impact similar to a 100 kg weight falling from 15 meters.

While not all bird strikes result in serious damage, the consequences can be severe when birds collide with critical parts of the aircraft like the windshield, wings, or engine turbines. Such collisions can affect cabin pressure and even risk engine failure.

Global Bird Strike Stats and Prevention Measures
A survey by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) across 91 countries found that an average of 34 bird strikes occur daily worldwide, causing commercial aviation an estimated ₹7,790 crore in annual losses. Fortunately, around 92% of these incidents do not cause serious damage.

To mitigate the risk, airports around the world have adopted various bird deterrent techniques:
Speaker Vans: Airports like Singapore deploy vans equipped with loudspeakers that play over 20 types of sounds, including gunfire, to scare away birds.
Laser Guns: Airports such as Surat use laser light and sound-emitting devices to drive birds away from runways.
Shooters: Some major airports appoint bird shooters. For instance, in 2020, Lahore Airport in Pakistan hired 12 bird shooters to eliminate the threat of bird strikes.

The Four Key Factors Behind a Dangerous Bird Strike
The impact of a bird strike depends on several factors:
Weight of the bird
Size of the bird
Speed at which the bird is flying
Direction of the bird’s flight