A British Airways flight from London suffered a bird strike just before landing at Chennai airport early Monday, damaging the nose cone and forcing cancellation of the return flight to London.
The bird hit took place around 3:30 a.m. during the aircraft's final approach. Airports Authority of India officials said 226 passengers were deboarded for inspection by engineers.
A required spare part was not immediately available, leading to cancellation of the Chennai to London departure scheduled for 5:30 a.m. Some passengers stayed in a hotel while others departed via alternative cities.
The remaining passengers are set to travel on a morning flight on Tuesday.
