Remember US Airways Flight 1549, which was successfully ditched in the Hudson River in New York City on Jan. 15, 2009 after being disabled by a flock of Canadian geese?
The incident, which became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” because all 150 passengers and five crew members of the Airbus 320 jet survived, could happen here.
The warning was issued on Wednesday by a Philippine Airlines (PAL) executive, who along with officials of the Manila International Airport Authority and Cebu Pacific acknowledged the growing problem of “bird strikes” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), and in other civilian airports nationwide.
“What happened in the Hudson could happen here. There’s always this possibility,” Capt. Enrique Clemente, PAL assistant vice president for safety and environmental department, told the “Balitaan sa Aloha” media forum in Manila.
The bird strike reportedly occurred about three minutes into the flight from La Guardia Airport on New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.
“If you get struck by a flock of birds, your two engines may be disabled. Then you can’t control the aircraft, forcing you to crash the plane somewhere. And looking at the surrounding areas of Naia, which are all residential areas, you can just imagine crashing within a five-mile radius. Not only the plane’s passengers will perish but also those on the ground,” Clemente said.