bird strike
Bird strike forces emergency landing at JFK Nick Thomas / Facebook screenshot

Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight experienced a terrifying moment when a bird strike caused an engine fire shortly after takeoff from New York City's LaGuardia Airport forcing an emergency landing at JFK.

Flight 1722, departing from LaGuardia Airport for Charlotte, North Carolina, encountered a bird strike shortly after takeoff, according to ABC 7 New York.

The impact caused a fire in one of the plane's engines, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency and reroute the flight to JFK Airport.

The plane, an Airbus A321, landed safely at JFK with 190 passengers and six crew members on board.

There were no reported injuries, and the plane is now being inspected by American Airlines' maintenance team.

The flight was rescheduled for the following morning, with passengers accommodated in a local hotel.

Meanwhile, American Airlines has expressed gratitude for the crew's professionalism and issued an apology for the inconvenience caused to passengers.

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