NEW YORK — An American Airlines flight experienced a serious incident shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport when a bird strike resulted in one of its two engines being disabled. The situation compelled the aircraft to return and safely land at John F. Kennedy International Airport, as reported on Friday.

During the emergency on Thursday, the pilot of the Airbus A321, which was headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, communicated with air traffic control, declaring, “Mayday mayday mayday American 1722 engine failure.” A recording of the communication revealed that the pilot initially assessed the situation, noting, “It appears we have an engine failure but we’re still kind of working through to figure out what’s going on. We hit birds on the way out.”

The flight took off from LaGuardia around 7:43 p.m., carrying 190 passengers along with six crew members. Fortunately, airline officials confirmed that no injuries were reported during this alarming event. The pilot reported the emergency to the control tower at 7:52 p.m., requesting permission to land at JFK without the complications of inbound traffic.

At approximately 8:03 p.m., the plane successfully landed at JFK and taxied to the terminal without any assistance. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the operation of major airports in the region, stated that the landing was executed without incident. Following the landing, the aircraft was taken for inspection by maintenance staff.

In light of the occurrence, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed it is conducting an investigation. Bird strikes have been a growing concern, as the FAA noted 19,400 incidents across 713 airports in the U.S. in the past year. Although such strikes are relatively common, they rarely result in severe damage that necessitates emergency landings.

American Airlines issued a statement expressing gratitude towards the crew for their professionalism during the ordeal, while also apologizing to the passengers for any inconvenience. This incident brings to mind the famous “Miracle on the Hudson,” where a US Airways flight, also departing from LaGuardia to Charlotte, encountered a flock of birds shortly after takeoff on January 15, 2009, leading to a dual engine failure. The pilot, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, was lauded for landing the disabled aircraft safely in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all on board.