Plane Crashes Into Water Buffalo On Take-Off

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According to passengers, the plane would have crashed if it had taken off

Dozens of passengers have had a miraculous escape after their plane hit a water buffalo moments before take-off in India.

As the Boeing 737 picked up speed on the runway, it ran over the stray animal, causing extensive damage to the aircraft's engine. No one was injured in Thursday's collision.
The SpiceJet plane damaged in the collision. Pic: Tarun Shukla

The engine of the Boeing 737 was severely damaged. Pic: Tarun Shukla

"If the plane had taken off after this, we would have crashed. Thank God we were saved," said Prabhakar Joshi, a passenger on the SpiceJet flight from Surat to Delhi.

The incident has sparked a nationwide review of airport security, and police are investigating how the water buffalo was able to access the runway unnoticed.
The SpiceJet plane damaged in the collision. Pic: Tarun Shukla

A probe is under way into airport security across India. Pic: Tarun Shukla

This is not the first time a stray animal has caused a travel scare in India.

Last month, a jackal was spotted on a runway in Kochi, and in 2012, a pilot had to abort a flight because a pig was blocking the tarmac in Mumbai.

SpiceJet has suspended all its services from Surat indefinitely. The city, in Gujarat state, is known for its bustling trade in diamonds and textiles.
- http://www.aitonline.tv/post-plane_crashes_into_water_buffalo_on_take_off#sthash.GIucYJWJ.dpuf