Date:16/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/16/stories/2007101660892100.htm
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Sport

Players take bird-hit incident in their stride

Nagpur: An aircraft carrying nine Indian cricketers and the entire Australian team had to make an emergency landing due to a bird-hit here on Monday morning. The players were taken back to the team hotel before they were put on another flight to Mumbai in the afternoon.

The Indian cricket team travel coordinator Russell Radhakrishnan said the players stayed calm through the ordeal. “We heard a jarring sound as the aircraft took off. The aircraft shook slightly.

“We immediately realised something was wrong,” he said.

He added, “Soon the captain made the announcement that the aircraft had hit a bird and we would be landing shortly. There were nine Indian cricketers including skipper M.S. Dhoni and the entire Australian team in the aircraft. Everything happened so quickly.

“The players took the incident in their stride. We were relieved it was nothing more serious.” — Special Correspondent

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