Bird strike on incoming plane at City of Derry Airport

City of Derry Airport have confirmed a suspected bird strike in an incoming flight this morning.
City of Derry Airport.City of Derry Airport.
City of Derry Airport.

A spokesperson for City of Derry Airport confirmed that there was “potentially a minor bird strike” to inbound Ryanair flight FR611 from London Stansted this morning.

Despite this the pilot managed to land the plane safely at 8.27am.

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The Airport spokeswoman said: “As per standard procedure the aircraft was checked by an engineer prior to its departure.

“Ryanair flight FR612, scheduled to depart from City of Derry Airport at 8.45am to London Stansted was delayed and departed at 11.56, we apologise for any inconvenience caused during this delay.”

Meanwhile efforts are still ongoing to try and trace a missing light aircraft which has disappeared after departing from City of Derry Airport yesterday for Scotland.

An airport spokesperson confirmed that it was “working with partner emergency service agencies as part of the ongoing search operation”.

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The search operation is being co-ordinated by the UK Coastguard.

In a statement the Coastguard has said: “At about 8.30pm yesterday (Thursday 9 June) Distress and Diversion (based at Swanwick) notified the UK Coastguard that a small microlight aircraft with two persons on board had been reported overdue.

“The microlight was transiting the Northern Ireland coastline when it went missing and an extensive search is being carried out in the area.

“Last night and in the early hours of this morning, the UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Prestwick, the Irish Coastguard helicopter based at Dublin, Ballycastle, Coleraine, Stranraer, Portpatrick, Larne and Campbelltown Coastguard Rescue Teams, Larne RNLI inshore and all weather lifeboats, Red Bay inshore and all weather lifeboats and Portpatrick RNLI all weather lifeboats, were all involved in the search.

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“The search was suspended due to poor visibility as a result of fog at 3am today (Friday 10 June).

“The teams and rescue units are waiting for the visibility to improve before they resume the search.”

The Northern Ireland North West Mountain Rescue Team will also be joining the search today.

Ryan Gray, Senior Maritime Operations Officer at the UK Coastguard, said: “UK Coastguard has also issued a Mayday relay broadcast in the area and several merchant shipping vessels have responded and are keeping a lookout for this aircraft. We may send further resources as the search widens.”

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