Hero pilot carrying 226 tourists lands in cornfield after plane collided with flock of birds

A Russian pilot has saved the lives of 226 people after being forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Moscow.

The crash landing happened just outside one of Moscow’s busiest airports on Thursday morning after the jet collided with a flock of birds.

At least 23 people, including five children, were injured but there were no fatalities among the 226 passengers crew of seven - Russian authorities said.

The Ural Airlines A321 hit the birds as it took off from Zhukovsky airport en route for Simferopol in Crimea. The airline said the birds got into both of the plane’s engines, causing a malfunction.

The pilot then made an emergency landing in a cornfield about half a mile from the airport.

Passengers on board the aircraft reported seeing “a flash and then a smell of smoke” after the plane struck a flock of birds. After the successful evacuation, Ural Airlines praised the crew for their professionalism.

Reports said there were 16 tons of fuel on board the plane when it took off just minutes earlier.

Ural Airlines named the pilot as 41-year-old Damir Yusupov shortly after the incident on Thursday.

According to the Sun, Yusupov only learned to fly at the age of 32, but had around 2,000 hours flying experience.

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