On the 3rd of March, 2024, a Saudia Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner was involved in a bird strike incident during its approach to London Heathrow Airport. The plane, bearing the registration HZ-AR33, was operating flight SV109, which originated from Jeddah (JED) and was en route to London Heathrow (LHR).
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The incident occurred on Sunday at around 2:45 pm coordinated Universal time (UTC). Despite the collision, the flight was able to land safely on runway 27R at London Heathrow, and thankfully, there were no injuries reported among the passengers or crew.
Footage circulating online depicts a significant hole in the left wing's slats, which suffered damage due to the collision. Although bird strikes are a relatively common occurrence in aviation, airports, and airlines take various measures to reduce the risk of such incidents. These measures include managing habitats around airports, using radar systems to monitor bird activity, and deploying other deterrents to discourage birds from venturing near flight paths.
The safety and well-being of passengers and crew are always a top priority, and airline operators and airports worldwide follow stringent safety protocols to ensure safe air travel. In this case, the crew's training, quick thinking, and adherence to established procedures played a crucial role in safely landing the aircraft despite the bird strike incident.