An Emirates flight from Dubai to Mumbai struck a flock of flamingos while landing, resulting in the death of at least 36 birds, the airline confirmed on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Monday at 8:50 PM, just before the aircraft touched down at Mumbai’s international airport. The aircraft was also damaged, leading to the cancellation and rescheduling of the return flight to Dubai.
“The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked without injury, however sadly a number of flamingos were lost and Emirates is co-operating with the authorities on the matter,” the airline stated.
Flamingos frequent Mumbai and surrounding areas in Maharashtra, where they gather in large numbers across various coastal wetlands. The affected flock was reportedly flying north to Kutch in Gujarat, a significant feeding and breeding area for the species.
Local children first noticed the dead birds scattered over a half-kilometer radius in the Ghatkopar area, prompting reports to the authorities. Sy Rama Rao, a senior forest officer, mentioned that a comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.
Environmental concerns were raised by Dayanand Stalin, an environmentalist with the Mumbai-based NGO Vanashakti, who cited power lines in the Thane Creek Wildlife Sanctuary as a potential factor. “The birds have tried to fly over the power lines and have come between the aircraft,” Mr. Stalin explained to The National.
He further noted that while flamingos have been visiting the city’s wetlands since the 1990s, this was the first reported incident of such a nature involving these birds. Stalin has advocated for rerouting the power lines to prevent future incidents.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has indicated that bird strikes are a recurring challenge, with numerous incidents reported annually across the country, posing a continual risk to flight safety.
