Passengers Miraculously Escape After Plane Propeller Smashes Through Cabin After Hitting A Bird

The passengers on a chartered flight miraculously escaped after one of the propellers on the plane smashed through the cabin after hitting a bird.

The Airlink plane was carrying passengers from Johannesburg to a diamond mine in the Limpopo province of South Africa when the incident took place. The bird hit the engine on the right-hand side with such force that the propeller cut through the cabin and hit the opposite side of the aircraft, penetrating the sidewall, New Zealand Herald reported.

Luckily, no one was injured as the blade went straight into an area with unoccupied seats. The inside of the cabin, however, suffered damages. The number of passengers on the flight when the incident took place was not known.

Confirming the incident, Airlink spokesperson said in a statement, "Airlink Jetstream 41 aircraft operating a private charter flight struck a large bird upon landing at Venetia airfield. None of the passengers or crew were injured although the aircraft sustained substantial damage," New York Post reported.

"In compliance with aviation protocols and regulations, the occurrence was reported to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) which will conduct an investigation. The aircraft remains at Venetia airfield pending the SACAA’s inspection and a full damage assessment," the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, photos of the aircraft shared on Twitter showed the debris created from the propeller.

"Remind me never to sit by a prop again! Thankfully no one hurt on this J41. It is sure as hell would have woken you up if you were napping onboard," Pontius Pilate, the person who shared the photos, tweeted.

The pictures have since gone viral on the social media platform.

When one user noticed the propeller seemed to be made from wood, Pilate replied, "J41s are old tech these days. Modern prop blades are made from carbon fiber or composite spars, typically with a polyurethane foam filling."

Some users also said the passengers were lucky to have escaped unhurt.

"Quite a bit of damage. Amazing none hurt," one person commented.

"No one got hurt. Very good," another user wrote.