By: Richard L. Smith
A FedEx cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday morning after striking a bird shortly after takeoff, igniting an engine fire, officials confirmed. 
The dramatic incident occurred just before 8 a.m., when FedEx Flight 3609, en route to Indianapolis, encountered the bird mid-air, triggering a fire in one of its engines.
A video obtained by RLS Media captured flames shooting from beneath the aircraft as it climbed after takeoff.
Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that the impact of the bird strike caused the engine fire, prompting the crew to quickly declare an emergency and return to Newark.
Despite the alarming visuals, the pilots maintained control of the aircraft and executed a safe emergency landing, avoiding what could have been a far more dangerous situation.
FedEx later released a statement acknowledging the crew’s swift response, saying, “Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders.”
Bird strikes, while relatively common in aviation, can pose serious risks, especially when they involve larger birds and occur near critical engine components.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airport officials are expected to review the incident to determine whether additional safety measures are needed.
Flights at Newark Airport were briefly affected, but normal operations resumed shortly after the FedEx aircraft landed safely.
There were no reported injuries, and FedEx is currently assessing the damage to the plane before determining its next steps.