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A FedEx cargo plane was compelled to make an emergency return to Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday morning after a bird strike led to an engine fire.

The incident, which occurred at around 8 am, prompted a brief shutdown of the airport, though operations resumed shortly after, according to Lenis Valens, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

According to NYTimes, the Boeing 767 was en route to Indianapolis when the bird strike damaged one of its engines. The crew declared an emergency and safely returned to Newark, where the aircraft was met by fire and rescue teams.

The aircraft, with three individuals on board, landed safely, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. The fire was confined to the engine, and the plane was rendered inoperable on the runway.

"We need to return to the airport," was heard in a recording captured by LiveATC, as the crew realized the severity of the bird strike. A few moments later, another voice noted, "We believe we saw their engine fall off the right wing." The bird strike occurred when the plane was only several hundred feet off the ground.

FedEx Pilots Praised for Calm Response Following Emergency Bird Strike Landing

The FedEx spokesperson, Austin Kemker, praised the professionalism of the flight crew, stating, "The training, expertise, and professionalism demonstrated by our FedEx pilots was exemplary. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders."

Kenneth Hoffman, a fellow pilot, echoed this sentiment, saying, "They handled it like champs," referring to the crew's calm response, CBS News said.

Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have initiated investigations into the incident.

According to the FAA, the bird strike caused significant damage to one of the plane's engines. While bird strikes are not uncommon, they rarely cause substantial damage or lead to emergency landings.

The bird strike incident comes amid a series of aviation mishaps, including a midair collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger plane, which killed 67 people, and several recent incidents involving major airlines.

Despite the increasing number of aviation incidents, experts like CBS News aviation safety analyst Robert Sumwalt believe the timing of these events is coincidental.

Bird strikes are a known hazard for aviation, and in 2023, the FAA reported over 19,000 wildlife strikes across US airports. Although these incidents often do not result in injuries, they can cause significant disruptions, as seen with the emergency landing in Newark.