Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet says that its plane hit a buffalo on the runway at Surat airport, causing enough damage it had to cancel flights.
"A stray buffalo hit one of our aircraft, flight SG-622 from Surat to New Delhi, carrying 140 passengers and six crew, on take-off roll at Surat airport," an airline spokesman said. "The buffalo was essentially invisible against a dark background."
SpiceJet's chief operating officer Sanjiv Kapoor tweeted about the incident.
A buffalo on the runway at night at Surat airport. Simply inexcusable.— Sanjiv Kapoor (@SKapoorSpiceJet) November 6, 2014
All pax and crew safe, but aircraft is grounded. Animal menace growing in airports, must fix current airports before building new ones.— Sanjiv Kapoor (@SKapoorSpiceJet) November 6, 2014
Images of the damaged plane were also shared on social media, and the damage shown is extensive.
Having suffered damages in aircraft, Spicejet suspends flight operation at Surat airport http://t.co/KNRi3cCtbV pic.twitter.com/cKbTeZtWkQ— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) November 7, 2014
Full-grown Indian water buffalo weigh between 660 and 1,210 pounds, and stand about 52 inches tall.
Airports around the world face problems with wildlife -- though that wildlife is usually limited to birds.
Those trying to absolve airport by equating animal with bird strikes... animals do not fly over airport fences-they walk through gaps!— Sanjiv Kapoor (@SKapoorSpiceJet) November 6, 2014
SpiceJet suspended operations indefinitely at Surat airport because of the incident.
Air travel in India has grown quickly in recent years, however the industry has faced significant challenges and losses have totaled in the billions of dollars.