A Ryanair flight from Norwich to Malta was diverted to East Midlands Airport on Tuesday after a bird strike shortly after take-off. The Boeing 737 departed Norwich at 08:41 BST and was scheduled to operate a flight to Malta. However, the aircraft landed at East Midlands Airport at 10:00 BST following the incident.
Flight Diverted Following Bird Strike
According to Ryanair, the diversion followed a minor bird strike shortly after the aircraft departed Norwich Airport.
The aircraft was seen flying in a holding pattern over Norwich before continuing towards Nottingham and eventually landing at East Midlands Airport.
The crew also transmitted an emergency squawk code, allowing air traffic controllers to identify the aircraft and safely separate it from other traffic. However, Ryanair confirmed that the aircraft did not make an emergency landing.
The airline has not confirmed how many passengers were on board the flight at the time of the incident.
Replacement Aircraft Continues Journey to Malta
To reduce disruption for passengers, Ryanair arranged for a replacement aircraft to continue the journey to Malta.
The replacement flight was scheduled to depart East Midlands Airport at 11:40 BST.
The incident comes as industrial action involving air traffic control staff at Norwich Airport continues. Members of the Prospect union previously voted to take action over a pay dispute, with staff working strictly to their contracts and no longer taking on non-contractually required overtime or shift swaps.
It is not currently known whether the industrial action had any impact on the handling of the diverted flight.
Have you ever experienced a flight diversion due to a bird strike or another technical issue? Let us know about your experience in the comments section below!
