A British Airways flight made a diversion after reports of smoke and a possible bird strike.
BA Flight 216 was traveling from Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. to Heathrow Airport in London, on Saturday, April 26, when it made an emergency stop in Boston, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The plane, a Boeing 777, landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport around 7:30 p.m. local time “after the crew reported a possible bird strike and fumes in the cabin,” the FAA added.
British Airways emphasized the importance of keeping customers safe in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“The flight landed safely after diverting to Boston as a precaution following a suspected bird strike,” the airlines wrote.
“We are sorry for the delay to our customers’ travel plans, but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority,” the airline added.
A Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that “the aircraft landed in Boston without incident.”
The flight departed from Washington D.C. around 5:30 p.m. local time, according to data from FlightAware.com.
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A Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson confirmed in an email to CBS News that “a bird was struck” during the incident.
It is unclear how many passengers were on the plane. No injuries were reported.
The FAA will investigate the incident.
The federal agency has previously stated that wildlife strikes are becoming increasingly more common in the United States. About 19,400 strikes were reported in the U.S. in 2023.
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“Expanding wildlife populations, increases in number of aircraft movements, a trend toward faster and quieter aircraft, and outreach to the aviation community all have contributed to the observed increase in reported wildlife strikes,” the FAA states on its website.
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