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Jin Air jet returns to Incheon after takeoff following bird strike

Published: 22 Aug. 2025, 19:26 Updated: 22 Aug. 2025, 19:27

A Jin Air airplane is seen at Incheon International Airport on July 13. [YONHAP]

A Jin Air passenger jet bound for Vietnam was forced to turn around after suffering engine damage from a bird strike shortly after takeoff from Busan.

According to Jin Air on Friday, Flight LJ115 departed from Gimhae International Airport at 7:55 p.m. on Thursday when its No. 2 engine was damaged after a bird strike. Smoke was seen coming from the engine shortly after takeoff, and the aircraft was spotted circling above the airport.

The flight, which was headed for Nha Trang, was carrying 150 passengers and six crew members. Unable to continue to its destination, the aircraft landed at Incheon International Airport at 12:48 a.m., about three hours later.

Explaining why the plane did not return immediately to Gimhae, a Jin Air spokesperson said, “The aircraft had just taken off and was carrying a full load of fuel. It needed to burn fuel to reach a safe landing weight,” adding that, “If the plane had returned to Gimhae, it would have been caught in the airport’s curfew — the restriction on takeoffs and landings between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. meant to reduce noise and protect the surrounding community — so it was redirected to Incheon.”

The spokesperson added that a replacement flight departed from Incheon for Nha Trang at 12:11 a.m. on Friday, carrying all the passengers.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM MIN-JU [[email protected]]