Boeing 737 Makes Emergency Landing After Bird Strike Damages Plane

The TUI flight from London Gatwick to Cape Verde was forced to return shortly after takeoff when two swans collided with the jet, causing significant damage.

• Two swans struck a Boeing 737 operated by TUI shortly after takeoff from London Gatwick, forcing an emergency landing.
• The collision caused damage to the plane’s fuselage and navigation systems, with blood smearing the windscreen but leaving it structurally intact.
• Pilots circled to burn fuel and safely landed the plane back at Gatwick; no injuries were reported among the 150 passengers and crew.
• TUI quickly arranged a replacement plane for passengers, allowing them to continue to Cape Verde a few hours later.
• Bird strikes are relatively common in aviation, though this incident caused over $1 million in damage and required grounding the plane for repairs.

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