American Airlines Flight Diverted After Bird Strike

An American Airlines flight 1722 from LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, was diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Thursday evening following a bird strike that disabled one of its engines shortly after takeoff. The pilot declared an emergency at 7:52 p.m., and the aircraft landed safely at JFK at approximately 8:03 p.m., carrying 190 passengers and six crew members, with no injuries reported. The incident has drawn comparisons to the infamous 'Miracle on the Hudson' flight in 2009, which also involved a bird strike shortly after departing from LaGuardia. American Airlines has apologized for the inconvenience and provided hotel accommodations for the passengers, with the flight rescheduled for Friday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, as bird strikes continue to rise across U.S. airports. In 2022, there were 19,400 recorded bird strikes at 713 airports nationwide.