Virgin Australia plane's engine bursts into flames mid-air after suspected bird strike

A Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 bound for Melbourne made a emergency landing in New Zealand after flames erupted from an engine shortly after takeoff from Queenstown.

The incident, suspected to be caused by a bird strike, was captured on video showing the plane engulfed in fire.

A Boeing 737-800 jet with 67 passengers and six crew members on board landed in the New Zealand city of Invercargill after thefireon theflight forced a diversion.

The incident may have resulted from a possible bird strike, the airline's chief operations officer, Stuart Aggs, said in an emailed statement.

Panic erupted shortly after takeoff from Queenstown Airport as flames were spotted on theVirgin Australia plane bound for Melbourne. Despite the chaos, the pilots managed a safe emergency landing at a nearby New Zealand airport after shutting down the affected engine.

“Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Passengers were accommodated overnight in Invercargill and Virgin Australia arranged new flights for their onward journey," the nation’s fire service said.

Notably, the rate of birds striking planes at New Zealand’s airports is about four in every 10,000 aircraft movements, according to the country’s aviation regulator website.

The consequences differ in severity depending on where the aircraft is hit, the size of the birds and the pilot’s reaction, the Civil Aviation Authority says.

Air Canada fire incident

Earlier this month, an Air Canada Boeing Flight AC872bound for Paris experienced a mid-air fire shortly after taking off from Toronto Pearson Airport on June 5.

The incident was successfully managed by the aircrew as the flight made an immediate landing.

As the aircraft climbed, a flash of light erupted from the right engine, followed by a small explosion. A viral video captured the harrowing scene as flames engulfed the plane's tail.

(With inputs from agencies)