A departure over Romania took an unexpected turn when a bird strike forced a modern airliner to halt its climb and divert, underscoring the persistent hazard wildlife poses even in controlled airspace.
On Mar 19th 2026, a Wizz Air Malta Airbus A320-200N, registration 9H-WAN, operating flight W4-3433 from Cluj to Marrakesh, was climbing out of runway 25 when the crew encountered a bird strike.
Shortly after the impact, the aircraft’s climb was stopped at FL170 as the crew assessed the situation. Rather than continuing across a long international sector, the pilots elected to enter a holding pattern while running checklists and evaluating the aircraft’s condition.
With safety margins in mind, the decision was made to divert to Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport. The aircraft landed safely on runway 08R approximately 55 minutes after departure without further complications.
Passengers continued their journey later on a replacement Airbus A321-200, which completed the flight to Marrakesh with a delay of about 4 hours and 20 minutes.
The affected aircraft remained on the ground in Bucharest for inspection around 10 hours after landing, as maintenance crews assessed any potential damage caused by the strike.
Bird strikes are a well-known risk during the critical phases of flight, particularly during takeoff and initial climb. In this case, the crew’s cautious approach—halting the climb, entering a hold, and diverting—ensured that the situation was managed safely with minimal disruption beyond the delay.
