The successful manoeuvre of an Abuja-bound flight back to base after a large contingent of birds obstructed it during take-off has received the commendation of the Nigerian aviation authorities.

On Monday, an Aero Contractor afternoon flight from Port Harcourt International Airport was forced to return with its 91 persons on board, eight minutes after it took off due to birds’ attack.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Tuesday commended the action of the pilot for returning to base.

Its Director-General, Captain Musa Nuhu, described the pilot’s action as “highly professional’’ when he addressed newsmen in Lagos.

Mr Nuhu explained that the aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 with the registration number 5N-BKR, was heading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, before the incident on Monday afternoon.

The director-general said that the pilot made a circuit, maintaining that the action of the pilot was in order.

Mr Nuhu said the incident led to the damage of the aircraft’s blade, adding that the airline’s engineers were currently fixing the damaged part of the aircraft.

He explained further that the airline brought another aircraft to transport the passengers to Abuja within 90 minutes of the incident.

According to him, the damaged part of the aircraft was undergoing repairs in Port Harcourt.

Mr Nuhu said that maintenance was going on to fix the damaged blade and when they finished, NCAA inspectors would inspect and certify it.

He said this was to know if all the parameters such as engines, blades and others were okay, before the aircraft would be released for flight.

Mr Nuhu, however, said that no life was at risk as a result of the incident.