Close shave for passengers as bird hits flight

The flight from Sharjah was hit by a peacock, while it was landing around 3.30 am. “Infact it created a big hole near the wing of the aircraft. Luckily, the passengers had a narrow escape as the pilot managed to land the flight safely on its pathway,” sources said. 

However, the incident left around 163 passengers including many Haj pilgrims, bound for Sharjah delayed for several hours. 

“The passengers were accommodated in hotels even as technicians from Chennai arrived to carry out repair works,” the sources said.  

“I came to my hometown near Palani to be with my family for Deepavali. I am supposed to join duty on Sunday, but my plans have gone haywire due to the bird-hit incident,” said Ilaya Bharathi, a private firm employee in Dubai. 

An official said that they had made all arrangements to send passengers by an alternative flight to Sharjah by night. 

Meanwhile, the immigration officials picked up Hakkim, an accused wanted for allegedly abetting the suicide of his wife in Kerala. He was one of the passengers in the Air Arabia flight. Hakkim was detained and the information was passed on to police personnel in Kerala, who would take him into custody, sources said.