Air Asia Plane Makes Emergency Landing In Phuket

PHUKET : -- An  Air Asia Airbus A320 plane with 159 people on board was forced to make an emergency landing  at Phuket airport late Wednesday afternoon after it was hit by a bird.

The captain of the plane, Flight FD3187 from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok, radioed the Phuket  aeronautical radio centre around 5.00  p.m.  seeking permission for emergency landing after the aircraft’s right wing was hit by a bird in mid-flight.

The bird strike caused the plane to shudder and the captain requested permission to land so it could be examined to ensure there were no safety issues,  the centre said.

The A320 plane was permitted to land at Phuket at 5.09 p.m. after taking off from  Nakhon Si Thammarat at 4.25 p.m.

Air Asia later sent a replacement plane to take the passengers  from Phuket.

And landed safely at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok at about 10.00 p.m. Wednesday night