36 Flamingos die after being hit by Emirates flight in Mumbai, aircraft suffers damage

Mumbai: At least 36 flamingos were found dead at different places in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area after being hit by a plane on Monday. An Emirates flight, EK 508, reported a bird strike at around 9 pm. Despite severe damage to the aircraft, it landed safely, and all passengers were unharmed.

According to reports, the plane collided with a flock of flamingos shortly before landing at Mumbai airport. Every summer, millions of flamingos migrate to Thane Creek and the wetland areas of Navi Mumbai. Forest department officials and animal activists recovered the mutilated remains of the birds after residents alerted a wildlife group about dead birds in the Ghatkopar area.

Pawan Sharma, founder of Rescink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and honorary wildlife warden of the forest department, said several calls were coming from people about dead birds being sighted at some places in Ghatkopar. The forest department’s mangrove cell along with RAW teams found dead flamingos in the area during a search operation on Monday night. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem to know the exact cause of death.”