By admin 
A FedEx cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing after a bird strike caused its engine to catch fire shortly after takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday morning.
Officials confirmed that the Boeing 767, which was heading to Indianapolis, experienced an engine fire following the impact but was able to return safely to the airport. No injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the incident occurred around 8 a.m. Eastern Time. Air traffic was temporarily halted at Newark as a precaution but resumed shortly afterward.
Shocking videos captured by witnesses show flames erupting from the aircraft’s right engine as it lost altitude. In one clip, recorded from a car in New Jersey, the plane is seen descending with visible flames. Another video captures stunned onlookers reacting in disbelief.
This emergency landing comes amid growing public concern over recent aviation incidents. In late January, a mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army helicopter resulted in 67 fatalities. Days later, a medical transport plane crashed in a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing seven. Additionally, a plane carrying 80 passengers flipped over at Toronto Pearson Airport in February, injuring at least 18 people.
Worries about aviation safety have surged, with online searches for “Is flying safe?” increasing. A recent AP-NORC poll found that 64% of Americans still consider air travel safe, though that number has declined from 71% last year.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s second presidential administration has intensified concerns by initiating the dismissal of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, including those responsible for maintaining air traffic control infrastructure.
Despite recent incidents, aviation experts emphasize that 2025 remains relatively safe in terms of overall accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that January and February typically see around 20 fatal aviation accidents per month, most of which involve smaller, less regulated aircraft.
Gill Bikram Singh