A flight to China was cut short after the aircraft caught on fire after it hit a bird soon after takeoff in Rome, airport officials said.
The engine of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated by China’s Hainan Airlines caught on fire shortly after takeoff at 9:55 a.m. local time from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Sunday after hitting a bird.
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The plane, bound for the Chinese city of Shenzhen with 249 passengers and 16 crew members, quickly turned around and landed safely after dumping fuel over the sea, airport officials said.
The aircraft had apparently hit a bird, which is airport officials said is common and can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.
The incident is under investigation. Airport officials said there were no delays to air traffic at Fiumicino Airport.
In videos posted on local media, flames could be seen on the right side of the plane before it returned to the airport.
