AVIATION/ DELTA 747 SAFELY DIVERTS TO SAND ISLAND/MIDWAY ATOLL

A DELTA AIRLINES Boeing 747 was enroute overhead the Pacific Ocean yesterday, when an emergency situation developed, forcing the crew to divert to Sand Island in the Midway Atoll. The region is famous for battles fought during WWII and the airstrip is maintained by the US for multiple reasons, including accepting aircraft needing to land when they are far from any major land masses. Delta Flight 277 was on International Service from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Osaka, Japan, with 359 passengers and 19 crew members onboard. According to reports, the 747 was enroute at 36000 feet, about 300 miles SE of Sand Island, when the cockpit windshield cracked while the aircraft was traveling thru an area of moderate to severe turbulence. Although there was no loss of cabin pressure, the crew descended to 14000 feet and requested diversion. The 747 was then diverted to Sand Island's Henderson Field, which has a runway length of 7900 feet. While on approach, the aircraft suffered 2 bird strikes, but landed safely, pictured above, about 1 hour after the windshield crack. A replacement Boeing 747-400, scheduled to fly the rotation from Tokyo, Japan,  to Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota, was positioned from Tokyo to Sand Island as Flight 9935. That aircraft picked up the passengers and reached Osaka as Flight 9873 with a total delay of 16 hours. The incident aircraft is currently being repaired and expected to depart Sand Island shortly. In a statement, the FAA said there was no loss of cabin pressure but the damage was sufficient to divert to Midway Atoll's runway that serves as an emergency strip for the Pacific. In their statement, Delta said  the aircraft suffered a "major crack" in the windshield. Given the condition of the windshield ,the crew had to land still in daylight and could not accept a delay in landing until after dark. The US Fish and Wildlife Service said the 747 suffered 2 bird strikes upon arrival, one of which damaged the flaps, but continued for a safe landing. The passengers were kept aboard until the 2nd 747 arrived, however were provided with maps and were able to walk off the aircraft. The replacement 747 left at 5:00am today, just before daybreak and before the sea birds including the albatross began to fly. The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages the bird population on Midway, including the albatross. Their programs are designed to protect the population and encourage population growth.