Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Updated 3.30pm
AN AER LINGUS flight from Naples to Dublin was forced to turn back today, after pigeons flew into one of the plane’s engines shortly after take-off.
An Aer Lingus spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that flight EI451 had just taken off from the southern Italian city when it was hit by the flock of birds.
The flight had taken off just after midday and was due to arrive back in Dublin before 3pm.
The spokesperson said: “Aer Lingus flight EI 451 took off from Naples bound for Dublin, with 148 guests and 7 crew members on board, at 12:33 (local time) today.
As a precautionary measure the flight returned to Naples and landed safely at 13:14 (local time). The aircraft is now receiving maintenance attention at Naples.
Stan Ryan, a passenger aboard the flight told TheJournal.ie that they’d only been flying for about 20 minutes before the plane turned back.
I looked out the window and saw Capri. A few minutes later, I was seeing it again.
From where Ryan was sitting, he had not been aware of what happened until after they had landed. The passengers have been informed that a new plane was being sent out which is due to take off at 9.15pm local time this evening.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
This was no accident. Those pigeons were radicalised.
Journal its called a bird strike..
@Paul: The pendants are out in force already.
@Seamus Mc Meel: Sorry,pedants!
@Seamus Mc Meel: or idiots…
Why didn’t they land safely in the water and make a movie about it???
I was in Naples & Capri few years ago & it was fabulous….dine daily wine daily and merry!
@Thosj Carroll: thanks for that.
@Thosj Carroll: Well Done.
Were Dick Dastardly and his co-pilot Muttley flying the plane?
@O Swetenham: Well if they were flying it they more than caught the pigeons this time round..
Coo L
Flocking hell.
They’d only been flying for 20 minutes? How high were those pigeons supposedly flying, if they were hit 20 minutes after take off?!!
@The Thinker: Must be a hoax so
@Matty kinevan: Not saying it’s a hoax of course. But badly described, or some information is missing.
Airports have a variety of bird control techniques to reduce these types of incidences. Noise machines, gun sounders etc.
@Paul Foot:
Not planes I hope ;o)
Glad all are safe.
@Paul Foot: cats would be good
I was flying back home from Edinburgh last October. Huge swarms of migrating geese were right over the airport. I think they sent flares up to divert them.. but as a nervous flyer I was bricking myself. Thank god the entire crew forgot to turn up and the flight was delayed…by the time the pilot turned up the geese were visiting the Sassenachs. Ryan Air, what can you do.
Some poor lad had his racing coup wiped out anyway…. few hundred/ thousand euro gone…
Does anybody know did the pigeon die?
@Shawn Rahoon: It’s fair to assume that they did
A flock of seagulls – ba doom tisss…
@Craig De Barra: Are you having a stroke?
@Matty kinevan: nope – you’re probably a bit young to understand that comment, or bereft of a sense of humour
Sully, is that you?
Wishing I had a photograph of that…
@Oisin Conroy: There are videos on YouTube of tests for this scenario being conducted. They fire frozen chickens out of cannons into the running engines. It’s pretty spectacular.
@Matty kinevan: I have to ask, why are the chickens frozen?
@Rui Firmino: Don’t know I never asked :-) I presume to keep them from just flying apart upon exiting the cannon
@Rui Firmino: So they won’t go off,duuh!
I suppose the HSE are buggered now saying that, (more or less demanding that,) we all get the FLU vaccine.? AIR LINGUS will be on strike next now, demanding a pay-rise for their expertise in dealing with bird flu contamination.!
@Michael Kelly: How about learning to spell the name of the company before trying to go on some pointless rant?
Any news on how the birds are doing?
Northside pigeons awful trouble makers.
@Ní Maith Liom Eva: swing and a miss
have your say