New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says it has not yet decided whether it will launch an investigation into the bird strike that prompted an emergency callout at Christchurch Airport involving a Fiji Airways flight on Thursday afternoon.
The Boeing 737-808, bound for Nadi with more than 170 passengers on board, was struck shortly after take-off — reportedly by a large flock of birds, forcing the pilots to circle for nearly two hours to burn off fuel before making a safe return to Christchurch.
When the aircraft landed, it was found to have a dent in its nose and a smear of blood on one of its engines.
A CAA spokesperson told the New Zealand Herald that bird strikes generally did not require a full investigation, but the Authority would review the incident once Fiji Airways submitted its official report.
“Bird strikes are a recognised hazard in aviation, and while most do not result in significant damage, each report is carefully assessed,” the spokesperson said.
Bird strikes remain relatively uncommon in New Zealand, with around 1,500 incidents reported annually.
Christchurch Airport recorded the highest number of bird strikes in 2024 with 54, followed by Napier with 45.
When including both confirmed and near strikes, CAA data shows 304 bird incidents in Christchurch and 237 in Napier last year.
