TUI 737 diverted to Birmingham after bird strike on takeoff

A TUI Boeing 737 carrying passengers from Cardiff to Paphos declared an emergency shortly after takeoff on Sunday and diverted to Birmingham Airport, where it landed safely at about 5.30pm after burning fuel in a series of orbits, airport and airline representatives said. The incident prompted a temporary suspension of operations at Birmingham while emergency services met the aircraft on arrival and passengers and crew were disembarked without serious injury.

The aircraft, flight TOM6754, left Cardiff at about 4.30pm and initially circled Swansea Bay at roughly 3,000 feet before climbing to about 12,000 feet and heading toward the West Midlands, flight tracking data show. Birmingham temporarily halted departures and arrivals for approximately 30 minutes to accept the inbound aircraft. The jet was met on the runway by multiple fire appliances and other emergency vehicles and later taxied to an apron stand.

TUI said the diversion followed a bird strike shortly after takeoff and confirmed there was no engine failure. A TUI spokesperson said, "To confirm, there was no engine failure. There was a bird strike after takeoff and the diversion that followed was a precautionary routine...