A Saurya Airlines jet bound for Biratnagar suffered a bird strike shortly after take-off from Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on Monday. The aircraft with 52 people onboard including four crew members landed safely at Biratnagar Airport.

The Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft has suffered damaged in two blades of its left engine. The aircraft has been grounded at Biratnagar airport and is being inspected by Caan technicians. 

The jet was hit by a bird at around 8:45 am this morning. Pilot Abhishek Rai vaguely felt something striking the plane but continued the flight as he failed to establish what it was. Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Spokesperson Pratab Babu Tiwari said the pilot also did not inform Kathmandu tower about the strike. He said a dead bird was found on the runway after the plane took off. 

Pilot Rai called for an emergency landing at Biratnagar airport after the jet began vibrating midway into the flight. Acting Chief at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal regional office in Biriatnagar Santosh Dhakal said pilot Rai initially informed Biratnagar tower that he suspected a bird strike and later said he doubted it. Dhakal said the pilot was not sure about the bird strike and continued the flight.

Dhakal said as per the rules a pilot has to inform the tower about the bird strike and land the aircraft. But in this case, the pilot continued flying the aircraft as he was not sure what the thud was.

A Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul was delayed by 90 minutes due to increased activity of birds at TIA. The aircraft was scheduled to take off at 7:35 am but departed only at 9:07 am.