Lifestyle
Birdstrike nearly downs South African charter flight
After the impact, the pilot and crew were able to safely land the plane and none of the passengers or crew were injured
January 7, 2022 12:38pm
Updated: January 7, 2022 12:38pm
The propeller of a South African Airlink charter flight between Johannesburg and Venetia Mine was torn off after the plane suffered a bird strike while approaching its destination on Monday.
After the impact, the pilot and crew were able to safely land the plane and none of the passengers were injured — although the propeller ultimately penetrated the fuselage of the Jetstream JS-41, causing substantial damage to the aircraft.
“In compliance with aviation protocols and regulations, the occurrence was reported to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) which will conduct an investigation. The aircraft remains at Venetia airfield pending the SACAA’s inspection and a full damage assessment,” the airline wrote in a statement.
The terrifying aftermath of the incident was captured in pictures posted on social media and can be seen below:
