EasyJet plane safe after hitting flock of birds near Tel Aviv

An easyJet flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv slammed into a flock of birds while approaching Ben Gurion Airport, causing damage but no injuries, the airline said.

The plane, which was about 20 kilometers away from the airport and 3,000 feet above ground during the collision, was brought in for a safe landing in Tel Aviv.

Officials ordered the plane, an Airbus 320, grounded for repairs.

The plane’s planned return flight from Tel Aviv to Geneva later on Monday was canceled until a replacement plane can be flown in, the airline said.

The collision came a day after a Boeing 737 Max 8 plane crashed in Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board, including two Israelis.  Aviation authorities in China, Indonesia and Ethiopia ordered airlines to ground aircraft of the same model on Monday. The crash is drawing renewed scrutiny of the plane just four months after a similar crash of the same model that killed 189 people in Indonesia.

The 737 is the best-selling airliner in history, and the Max, the newest version of it with more fuel-efficient engines, is a central part of Boeing’s strategy to compete with European rival Airbus.

Agencies contributed to this report