A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane escaped a disaster after it was hit by a bird following taking off from Karachi Airport on Wednesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The PIA flight, PK368, was going to Islamabad from Karachi when a bird hit its right engine at 4200 altitude.

The pilot succeeded in landing the plane back at the Karachi Airport safely.

According to a PIA spokesman, there were 162 passengers on board the plane when it was hit by the bird. He said the passengers will be sent to Islamabad on another plane.

It may be mentioned here that a Qatar Airlines plane was also hit by a bird while landing at the Lahore International Airport on Tuesday. The flight QR-628 coming from Doha was about to land at the Allama Iqbal International Airport when a bird hit the left engine of the aircraft.

The captain of the Boeing 777 immediately alerted the Control Tower of the Lahore Airport which rushed support vehicles to the runway. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) teams inspected the plane as soon as it landed safely and declared the plane fit to fly again after a detailed checking of the left engine.

Sooner the CAA bird strike teams got into action and started to repel them from the airport.

The incident happened weeks after the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA) had decided to install the acoustic bird repellent system at Karachi and Lahore airports to prevent threats to aviation safety.

Bird Strike is common, and can be substantially hazardous to the security of the aircraft alongside passengers, and can result in a number of fatal accidents. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suffered the same in the past.

Expression of Interest (EOI) from well-reputed firms, and individuals bearing experience in wildlife management, especially in the area of airports, had been invited to benefit in this regard with their expertise.

According to the PCAA officials, the system will be installed at the main and secondary runways of Jinnah International Airport, Karachi and Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.

Reporter Usman Javed Malik