PASSENGERS faced a rocky start to their holiday after their plane was forced to make an emergency landing following a bird strike.

The incident happened on-board a Thomson Airways flight bound for Tenerife from Bournemouth.

According to a spokesman from Bournemouth Airport the flight experienced a bird strike during take-off just after 8.20am.

As a result it was diverted to Gatwick Airport where it made an emergency landing.

The Boeing 737-800 was seen circling over Bournemouth Airport for half an hour - which is to burn off fuel to allow it to land safely.

A spokesman from the airport said: “On taking off from Bournemouth the Thomson flight to Tenerife experienced a bird strike.

“As a result it has been diverted to Gatwick Airport.”

Bournemouth Echo:

It landed at Gatwick Airport just before 10am, where it was met by emergency services on the tarmac.

According to passenger Eric Jackson, 42, who lives in Charminster in Bournemouth, there was a “loud thud” on the left hand side of the plane during take-off.

“Then there was a really loud vibrating noise through the plane and you could just tell something was wrong,” said Mr Jackson, who was travelling to Tenerife for a week-long holiday.

“The pilot came on the radio system and said there had been a bird strike and that a seagull had damaged one of the engines.”

According to Mr Jackson the plane then circled around Bournemouth for half-an-hour before heading to Gatwick.

“It was a bit worrying because we weren’t really sure what the problem was and what was going to happen. We just kept circling,” he added.

“Then when we arrived at Gatwick we were met with a dozen fire engines on the tarmac.”

Following the landing passengers waited on board the plane for almost an hour while staff attempted to determine whether the engine could be repaired.

However it was decided they be transferred to a second plane and are currently waiting in the Gatwick departures lounge for a second plane and new crew to arrive.

“We have no idea how long we are going to be here for, it sounds like ages. Just a nightmare start to the holiday really.”

Mr Jackson has also told the Echo that all passengers have been given a £10 voucher and that a replacement flight was due to leave Gatwick at 12.30pm.

A statement from the airline said: “Thomson Airways is sorry for the delay caused to passengers on board flight TOM6248 from Bournemouth to Tenerife.

“The aircraft has diverted to London Gatwick as a precautionary measure following a suspected bird strike.

“The plane landed safely and we are working to make sure that customers will be on their way to Tenerife as soon as possible.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and we would like to reassure customers that issues of this nature are very rare.”

Birdstrikes in aviation history 

UNDOUBTEDLY the best known and dramatic bird strike in recent aviation history concerns US Airways Flight 1549.

With heroic Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger at the controls, the airliner made an emergency landing on New York's Hudson River, shortly after take off.

The lives of all 155 passengers were saved in the 2009 drama, which was quickly dubbed 'The Miracle on the Hudson' and has since been made into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Tom Hanks.

Captain Sully's Airbus A320 hit a flock of Canada geese while climbing out of LaGuardia airport, a multiple bird strike that killed both engines.

In April last year a Ryanair Flight out of Manchester Airport spent more than a hour circulating the city to burn off fuel after a bird strike on take off.

Passengers on the flight to Mallorca, Spain, reported hearing a loud bang shortly after the aeroplane was airborne.

The captain declared a mid-flight emergency and informed passengers.

It landed safely at the airport.

A Ryanair flight from Frankfurt to Rome made an emergency landing in November 2008 after both engines failed.

Multiple bird strikes were blamed for the engine failure, and the aircraft landed safely - despite damage to the landing gear.

The first recorded bird strike fatality occurred in 1912, when pioneer pilot Cal Rodgers collided with a gull.

The bird jammed his aircraft control cables, causing him to crash into the sea off the coast of California, where he drowned.

IN 1960 a Lockheed L-188 Electra, flying from Boston, USA, collided with a flock of starlings during take off.

All four engines were damaged causing the aircraft to crash into Boston Harbour, killing 62 passengers.