Bird Strikes A Serious Threat At TVM Airport

Over 239 incidents reported since 2018 | Waste dumping blamed

- Shainu Mohan @T'Puram

As the nation mourns victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, an alarming number of bird-hit incidents is posing a threat at Thiruvananthapuram airport (TIAL).

The airport has recorded over 239 bird strike incidents between 2018 and 2024. Open slaughtering and unregulated dumping of slaughter waste near the airport have been attracting a large number of scavenger birds like kites and crows dangerously close to the runway posing a serious risk to aircraft during takeoff and landing. The city corporation is unable to rein in illegal slaughtering and waste dumping due to the lack of a slaughterhouse.

This year, around 10 bird hits were reported at the airport from January until June 12, said a spokesperson of TIAL.