1 of 2 | FedEx Jet
Photo courtesy FexEx
March 1 (UPI) — A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing back to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Saturday morning after a bird strike caused one of its engines to catch fire, according to officials. FedEx Flight 3609 was traveling to Indianapolis when one of the Boeing 767’s engines was hit, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to NBC News.
The jet made an emergency landing back at the Newark airport at 8:07 a.m. No injuries were reported, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark,” FedEx said in a statement to ABC News. “We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders.”
Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution.
The Boeing 767-300 twin-engine jet was cleared to make its journey to Indiana at 9:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware.
Video posted on X showed the engine on fire.
Sofiane Zeblah recorded the incident while driving and posted it on X.
“I was driving and saw something falling and then fire start on the right wing engine. I believe a bird went through the engine, a big bird,” Zeblah told ABC News. “I was in shock. I stopped immediately on the turnpike. Thankfully, nothing happened.”
The cargo plane is a Boeing 767-300 twin-jet aircraft, according to FlightAware.