Delta flight makes emergency landing at JFK after birdstrike

A plane taking off from Kennedy Airport struck a bird and lost an engine in the skies above Queens early Saturday, sparking an emergency landing, authorities said.

The Denver-bound Delta flight took off from JFK just before 8 a.m. but made a quick loop back to the runway after a bird got sucked into its engine at about 500 feet altitude, according to the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association.

The impacted engine shut down and the pilot had to land the plane using limited power, officials said. None of the crew members or 126 passengers were hurt.

The Port Authority Police Department’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighter Unit was on hand to meet the arriving plane and inspect damage.

A Delta spokeswoman said that after landing, the plane was “taxied to the gate for maintenance evaluation.”

“Customers have been reaccommodated on an alternate aircraft,” the spokeswoman said.

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