Flight leaving O’Hare forced to land after striking bird

United flight en route to Miami experienced bird strike shortly after take off, airline says

CHICAGO — A plane departing Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was forced to land shortly after take off after striking a bird Friday.

According to a statement from United Airlines, Flight 1930 left Chicago and was en route to Miami when it experienced a bird strike.

“The aircraft landed safely and passengers deplaned at the gate,” the statement said.

Passengers were put on a new plane and that flight was expected to depart around 1 p.m., according to the statement.

” I was sitting in my office at work and we heard a very loud, almost explosion-type sound,” recalled Alison Doshen in a phone interview with WGN News. “I looked out my window to my left and I saw the plane in the air. You could see flames clearly coming from one of the jet engines, so we all ran outside to take a closer look at it.”

Witnesses say they were in shock, unsure of what would happen next.

“I really didn’t know what to think or what was going on, but I knew it wasn’t good,” Doshen said. “You never know what would happen in any circumstance but I’m glad that everyone is safe.”