According to Amac News, based on international media report, The Boeing 767-3S2F took off at around 8 a.m., but just minutes later, flames erupted from its right engine.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as FedEx, attributed the sudden fire to a bird strike. A FedEx spokesperson told the New York Post: “FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis encountered a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and safely returned to Newark.”
Videos released from the incident show the plane rapidly returning to the runway with flames shooting from its wing and rescue teams quickly working to put out the fire.
The plane landed safely at 8:07 a.m., with three people reportedly onboard and no injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the incident. The plane was cleared to continue on its journey to Indianapolis at 9:30 a.m.
Safety concerns have been heightened by a deadly crash last month over the Potomac River in which a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial airliner in midair, killing all 67 people on board.