A Hainan Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, bound for Shenzhen, China, made an emergency landing back at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Sunday after its right engine caught fire following a suspected bird strike, officials reported.
The incident occurred shortly after takeoff, with 249 passengers and 16 crew members on board. The Italian Coast Guard confirmed that the engine fire was likely caused by a bird strike, a frequent but serious threat to aircraft safety. “The aircraft was apparently struck by a bird,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Upon detecting the fire, the crew took immediate action, dumping fuel over the sea to reduce weight before making a safe return to Fiumicino Airport. No injuries were reported, and the incident did not disrupt other flights, an airport official confirmed.
Footage captured by witnesses shows flames flickering from the engine mid-air, with the orange blaze intensifying as the plane continued its course before turning back to Rome.
The event adds to recent reports of similar engine fires on Boeing aircraft worldwide. Earlier this week, a Boeing 737-500 in Indonesia caught fire at Sentani Airport in Papua Province, prompting the evacuation of 121 passengers. In June, an Air Canada Boeing plane’s engine burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Toronto Pearson Airport.