Alaska Airlines flight returns to Portland shortly after takeoff due to bird strike

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - An Alaska Airlines flight departing from Portland made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff because of a bird strike on Sunday morning, Fox 12 reported.

The Port of Portland and Alaska Airlines confirmed the emergency landing of the flight destined for Orlando, Florida happened at 7:50 a.m.

The pilots of Flight 300 safely landed the aircraft in Portland without any injuries reported, and the passengers and crew were rebooked on other flights.

The plane was removed from service and is being inspected, according to an airline spokesperson.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, collisions between birds and planes cause an estimated $900+ million in damage to U.S. civil and military aircraft every year.