An aircraft of a charter flight to Limpopo collided with a big bird while landing in Venice’s international airport on Monday, according to TimesLIVE.
The plane, an Airlink Jetstream 41 aircraft, had just touched the runway when the bird, believed to be a kori bustard, flew into the right-hand propeller. Moreover, this species is one of the world's largest flying birds as it can weigh up to 18 kilograms and reach a 275-centimeter wingspan.
A photo of the aftermath shared online shows wreckage stuck in a seat and feathers across the cabin. One of the propeller blades apparently ripped the fuselage and broke a cabin window.
Luckily, the were no passengers in this part of the cabin at the time of the incident.
The aircraft will remain in Venice while technical experts from the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) will be assessing the damage. The plane was said to be “nearing the end of its economic life.”
Airlink CEO Rodger Foster told TimesLIVE that bird strikes happen and “it's an aviation industry thing.” He said that the hole could be fixed, but the investigators need to determine how badly the affected wing was damaged.
About 85 percent of all bird strikes occur at altitudes up to 100 meters, as most bird species don’t reach the height of airline routes. Despite the fact that most collision incidents do not lead to crashes, some have been fatal.