An unusual incident occurred last Sunday in the Israeli Air Force when a cargo plane carrying 50 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing.
According to Kan Reshet Bet, the emergency landing was conducted after a bird damaged the plane's windshild and other systems.
According to information obtained by Kan News, the flight left Hatzor Airbase, near Ashdod, for Ovda Airbase, near Eilat. In-flight, a bird hit the cockpit windshield, was knocked in, and shattered inside the cockpit. One of the pilots, who was sitting on the left side of the cockpit, was injured in the incident.
The crew managed to land the plane safely despite the extensive damage. After landing, damage was found on the cockpit window, the gas tank, the roof, and other areas.
IDF officials stated, “The Air Force operates in multiple ways to reduce the risk of harming birds, from monitoring bird movements through various means to providing specific guidelines for pilots during migration seasons.”