Turkish Airlines flight returns to Katunayake after bird strike

By T.K.G Kapila

Katunayake,  July 11 (Daily Mirror) - A Turkish Airlines flight operating from Bandaranaike International Airport to Istanbul made an emergency return to Katunayake on Saturday after the aircraft was reportedly hit by a bird shortly after take-off.

The Airbus A330-300, operating as flight TK731, remained in Sri Lankan airspace off the west coast for more than three hours as part of precautionary measures before landing back at the airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) said the aircraft does not have an in-flight fuel dumping system, and therefore it was required to burn fuel while flying in order to reduce its landing weight.

Authorities confirmed that the aircraft’s control systems were functioning normally and that all passengers and crew members on board were safe.

Emergency rescue and firefighting services at Bandaranaike International Airport were placed on standby in accordance with standard operating procedures ahead of the aircraft’s landing.

Meanwhile, the flight attracted global attention after thousands of aviation enthusiasts began tracking its movements online. The aircraft became the most-tracked flight in the world on the Flightradar24 tracking platform during the incident.