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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Indian airline SpiceJet hits buffalo during take-off | Indian airline SpiceJet hits buffalo during take-off |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An Indian aircraft hit a stray buffalo during take-off from the western city of Surat, but no passengers or crew were injured. | An Indian aircraft hit a stray buffalo during take-off from the western city of Surat, but no passengers or crew were injured. |
| The Delhi-bound SpiceJet plane, carrying 146 passengers and crew, was grounded on Thursday because of the damage sustained in the accident. | The Delhi-bound SpiceJet plane, carrying 146 passengers and crew, was grounded on Thursday because of the damage sustained in the accident. |
| SpiceJet said the buffalo, which was killed in the crash, was "essentially invisible against a black background". | SpiceJet said the buffalo, which was killed in the crash, was "essentially invisible against a black background". |
| SpiceJet is India's fourth-biggest airline by market share. | SpiceJet is India's fourth-biggest airline by market share. |
| The airline said in a statement that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft hit the buffalo on "take-off roll" at Surat airport. | The airline said in a statement that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft hit the buffalo on "take-off roll" at Surat airport. |
| Passengers on the plane were transferred to another aircraft. | Passengers on the plane were transferred to another aircraft. |
| "Stray animals are a growing menace in some airports. This incident has affected our regular operations and hence SpiceJet flights from Surat will now be suspended indefinitely," an airline statement said. | "Stray animals are a growing menace in some airports. This incident has affected our regular operations and hence SpiceJet flights from Surat will now be suspended indefinitely," an airline statement said. |
| Its Chief Operating Officer Sanjiv Kapoor blamed lax airport security for the incident saying on Twitter that "a buffalo on the runway" was "simply inexcusable". | |
| One passenger, Prabhakar Joshi, said he heard a loud noise as if "something had hit the wheel" just as the plane began picking up speed. | One passenger, Prabhakar Joshi, said he heard a loud noise as if "something had hit the wheel" just as the plane began picking up speed. |
| "If it had been seconds later, after the plane lifted off, it would have been a disaster for us," he told the NDTV news channel. | "If it had been seconds later, after the plane lifted off, it would have been a disaster for us," he told the NDTV news channel. |
| India has had a good air safety record over the past decade, which has also witnessed a sharp increase in the number of private airlines and an expansion of air travel across the country. | India has had a good air safety record over the past decade, which has also witnessed a sharp increase in the number of private airlines and an expansion of air travel across the country. |
| Airports in India are generally well protected with perimeter fences, but maintenance at some smaller airports may be inadequate. | |
| Nonetheless correspondents say animals straying into airports over the years have led to serious safety concerns. In June 2008, close to 100 flights were disrupted on a single day after a family of monitor lizards crawled out onto the Delhi airport runway, forcing its closure for an hour. | |
| On other occasions, reports said jackals, antelopes, peacocks, porcupines, snakes, monkeys, foxes and dogs have strayed onto runways. | On other occasions, reports said jackals, antelopes, peacocks, porcupines, snakes, monkeys, foxes and dogs have strayed onto runways. |