Bird hit damages engine blades of Delhi-bound flight, plane returns to Guwahati with 99 passengers

A Delhi-bound Indigo flight which took off from Guwahati suffered a bird hit in the engine and landed safely in Guwahati on Monday and all the passengers and crew were safe, the airline said.

"IndiGo flight 6E 2329 operating from Guwahati to Delhi on September 6 landed safely at Guwahati airport after suffering a bird hit while take-off. All 99 passengers and 6 crew members were safe," IndiGo said.

The aircraft's engine number two blade was damaged by the bird hit and the pilots decided to return to the original airport immediately.

"Indigo Airlines Airbus A320 NEO PW aircraft VT-IZF, while operating with flight no 6E-2329 on September 6, was involved with bird strike on engine number two, and air turn back to Guwahati. The aircraft has been declared aircraft on ground (AOG). During the inspection carried out by investigators from the Guwahati office, it was observed that two fan blades serial of engine number two were found damaged and need replacement," a DGCA official told .

IndiGo arranged another flight to Delhi and the passengers were put on the next flight on the same day after a security check at the Guwahati airport. IndiGo has expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the passengers.

( With inputs from ANI )