Malaysia Airlines plane hits birds during landing in Nepal

Kathmandu: One hundred and eighty people on board a Malaysia Airlines jet had some anxious moments when the plane hit a flock of ducks as soon as it landed here in Nepal cracking its windshield, officials said.

However, no one was injured in the incident which took place late on Friday night at Tribhuvan International Airport, said officials at the Civil Aviation Authority. "No one was injured as the Boeing 738 hit the birds. But it was taken out of service for few hours and mechanics replaced the cockpit glass," airport authorities said. At least 10 ducks were crushed to death during the collision. The incident comes in wake of the recent disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Collisions between birds and aircraft, or bird hits, have become a serious problem at Nepal`s sole international airport, with more than 75 reported since 1990, said authorities. The ducks probably came from Taudaha, a local bird-watching site situated some 8-10 km south of the airport.