A Russian passenger plane has made an emergency landing in a cornfield near Moscow after striking a flock of birds, injuring at least twenty three persons in the process. 

State media described the incident, which saw the Ural Airlines Airbus 321 which was travelling to Simferopol in Crimea land with its engines off and landing gear retracted as the ‘miracle over Ramensk’.

The airplane which had 233 passengers and crew on board hit the flock of gulls shortly after take-off, disrupting its engines. The plane was also significantly damaged during the collision and could not fly again. 

Air transport agency, Rosaviatsia said the plane landed in a cornfield located about a kilometre from the runway at Zhukovsky International Airport, with its engines off and landing gear retracted.

Passengers were evacuated from the plane, with some, including five children  taken to hospitals for treatment while others were directed back to the airport.

Ural Airlines Director General, Kirill Skuratov told reporters that passengers who wanted to continue with their trip would be put on alternative flights following medical examinations.

Collisions between birds and planes are a common occurrence in aviation, with thousands reported every year in the United States alone. However, they rarely result in accidents or cause damage to the aircraft.