A Tui Boeing aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport after colliding with two swans during take-off on Wednesday.
The passenger jet, bound for Cape Verde, was struck by the birds at approximately 185mph when it reached an altitude of 1,000 feet.
The pilots issued a mayday distress call following the collision, which caused significant damage to the aircraft's nose cone and windscreen.
The plane was carrying 192 passengers when the incident occurred, requiring immediate emergency measures.
A TUI flight at Gatwick airport (file pic)
PA
Pictures shared with media outlets showed blood splattered across the aircraft's windscreen, with a large rip visible in the fuselage beneath the window.
The collision breached the pressure bulkhead, preventing the pilots from pressurising the plane.
The damage was so severe that the pilots were unable to see out of the windscreen, requiring an escort from the runway to the stand.
"The sheer size of the birds, and the double strike, penetrated the jet's forward fuselage," a source told The Sun.
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Passengers at Gatwick airport, LondonPAThe damage to the aircraft is estimated to cost £1 million to repair, with the plane expected to be grounded for several weeks.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, there were more than 1,400 reported bird strikes in UK airspace, with approximately 100 affecting flights.
A source explained to The Sun that a jet hitting a swan at 185mph delivers roughly the same kinetic energy as hitting a concrete wall at around 30mph.
"The shudders would have been felt throughout the plane," the source added.
Emergency services were called to the scene, with the runway temporarily closed to check for debris following the incident.
No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.
The incident follows several serious bird strikes globally, including a tragic accident in South Korea last December where 179 people were killed after a possible bird strike. In November, another passenger aircraft appeared to catch fire following a bird strike shortly after taking off from Italy.
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