US Delta flight forced to make emergency landing after bird gets stuck in its engine

The plane had taken off at about 8 am local time but made a quick return back to the runway after a bird got sucked into its engine at about 500 feet altitude, reports the New York Daily News.

The impacted engine shut down and the pilot had to land the plane using limited power, officials said. None of the crew members or 126 passengers was hurt.

The Port Authority Police Department’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighter Unit was on hand to meet the arriving plane and inspect the damage.

A Delta spokeswoman said that after landing, the plane was “taxied to the gate for maintenance evaluation.”

“Customers have been re-accommodated on an alternate aircraft,” the spokeswoman adds.