A packed holiday jet was struck by two swans just after take-off, causing damage to the fuselage and prompting an emergency landing.
The pilots made a distress call following the collision, which occurred at a speed of 185mph and resulted in a cracked windscreen.
The Tui flight, headed to Cape Verde, had reached approximately 1,000ft above Gatwick when the incident took place.
After landing, the Boeing 737 Max needed an escort from the runway to the stand as the two pilots could not see out.
Pictures obtained by The Sun show the dented fuselage with blood smeared over the cracked windscreen.
Critical electronic systems were also damaged in Wednesday morning’s hit.
A source told The Sun: “Bird strikes are not uncommon at UK airports but this was on a scale of terror never seen before.
“It is believed at least two giant swans careered into the jet as it reached high speed.
“The sheer size of the birds, and the double strike, penetrated the jet’s forward fuselage.
“The strike breached the pressure bulkhead so the pilots couldn’t pressurise the plane.
“It was carnage and the safety of the plane was in doubt. The pilots did a terrific job in the most testing of circumstances.”
Emergency services were called while the runway was closed and later checked for debris.
Experts say the 192 passengers would have felt the impact.
The source went on: “The jet was probably between 500ft and 1,000ft when the damage was done.
“A jet hitting a swan at 185mph delivers roughly the same kinetic energy as a car hitting a concrete wall at around 30mph.
“The shudders would have been felt throughout the plane.”
The plane is likely to be grounded for weeks while damage worth at least £1million is fixed.
Last December, 179 people died after a bird strike on a plane in South Korea.
There were more than 1,400 such hits on planes in Britain in 2022, with about 100 affecting flights, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Tui refused to comment while Gatwick Airport would not provide a statement on the emergency landing or runway closure.
