What happened
On Saturday, 20 December 2025, an Embraer ERJ-190-100 LR registered VH-XFC and operated by Alliance Airlines on lease to Airnorth was involved in a bird strike incident near Darwin International Airport, Northern Territory. The aircraft was operating as flight ANO160, a scheduled passenger service from Darwin to Gove-Nhulunbuy.
At approximately 07:25 local time, during the initial climb phase shortly after departure from Darwin International Airport, the aircraft struck a bird. The flight crew assessed the situation and determined that a return to Darwin was prudent. The aircraft remained controllable throughout the event, and the crew executed a safe return to Darwin International Airport without further incident.
The aircraft landed safely, and no injuries to passengers or crew were reported. Details regarding any aircraft damage were not publicly confirmed at the time of reporting. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was notified of the occurrence and commenced gathering information about the incident.