Saudia Airlines grounds Boeing 777 for repairs after Algiers bird strike incident

A Saudia Airlines Boeing 777-300ER, carrying more than 300 passengers and crew, sustained significant damage after colliding with a dense flock of birds shortly after takeoff from Algiers on Saturday, October 25, 2025. 

Nevertheless, despite the collision that smeared the nose of the aircraft with blood and visibly damaged it, the plane landed safely at the destination.

The incident occurred during flight SV340, which had departed from Algiers-Houari Boumediene Airport for King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. 

Soon after losing altitude, the plane collided with the large flock of birds. The pilots immediately communicated the strike to the air traffic control but after noticing that there was no severe system failure in the plane, they decided to proceed with the flight that was scheduled to take more than three hours to Jeddah.

Images shared on social media of the arrival of the aircraft gave a clear picture of how the engagement had gone, as the nose cone was heavily covered with blood, as well as had visible marks of structural damage. There were also first indications that there might have been damage to the landing gear.

Ground crews underwent extensive inspection after the plane landed safely in Jeddah. Analysts reported that there were no injuries on the passengers or the crew. 

Aviation safety experts also noted that fortunately no birds were ingested into the aircraft’s engine as it could have worsened the incident making it more catastrophic. 

“Bird strikes remain one of the most persistent hazards in aviation, particularly during takeoff and landing,” said an aviation safety analyst.

“This event underscores the robustness of modern aircraft like the 777, but it also reinforces the critical need for effective wildlife management around airports and the impeccable training of pilots to handle such emergencies,” he added.

The incident is part of a global pattern of bird strikes. A recent example is the Akasa Air flight in India that experienced a bird strike upon landing, and a Delta Air Lines flight in the U.S. had to make an emergency landing after a bird strike. 

The damaged Saudia plane will undergo extensive repairs and be inspected before it can be cleared back to service.