Captain hailed as hero after Russian plane hits flock of birds on take-off

The captain of a Russian passenger jet has been hailed as a hero for safely landing his plane in a cornfield after it collided with a flock of gulls seconds after take-off, causing both engines to malfunction.

This Russian jet made an emergency landing after hitting a flock of gulls on take-off near Moscow

While dozens of people sought medical assistance, only one was hospitalised.

The event drew comparisons with the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” when a captain ditched his plane in New York’s Hudson River after a bird strike disabled his engines.

Russia’s Rosaviatsiya state aviation agency chief Alexander Neradko said the crew “made the only right decision” to land the fully loaded plane immediately.

The plane was fully loaded with 16 tons of kerosene, he added.

“Just imagine what the consequences would be if the crew didn’t make the correct decision.”

The airline said the captain, 41-year old Damir Yusupov, is a highly experienced pilot who has logged more than 3,000 flight hours.

His wife told Rossiya state television from their home in Yekaterinburg that he called her after landing before she had heard about the emergency.

“He called me and said that everyone is alive,” she said. “I was horrified and in panic and burst into tears.”

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“It was quite a feat to keep the plane from stalling and quickly find a place to land,” Viktor Zabolotsky, a former test pilot, said.

The crew received swift accolades. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman hailed the pilots as “heroes” and said that they would receive state awards.

The emergencies ministry said that 55 people asked for medical assistance after the incident.

The health authorities said 23 people, including five children, were taken to hospital, and all but one were released following check-ups and quick treatment.

Plane engines are designed to withstand occasional bird strikes but a collision with a flock can result in serious trouble.

Bird strikes on planes occur regularly around the world, and airports use bird distress signals, air cannons and other means to chase birds away – although these measures aren’t always efficient.

In 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 hit a flock of geese after take-off from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.