Delta Plane Hit by Fireworks While Landing in Chicago

A Delta Air Lines plane was hit by fireworks as it approached landing at the airport in Chicago during Independence Day celebrations in the United States. Despite the impact, the plane completed its landing safely, and no injuries were reported. The incident, which was reported last night (Sunday) in American media outlets, is now under investigation by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to the reports, the strike occurred when the aircraft was only about 60 meters above the ground and approaching the runway. In air traffic control recordings published by CNN, the pilot can be heard telling the control tower: "A firework just hit our plane." He later added: "We're hoping it was just a firework that exploded beneath us, but we definitely felt a pretty big thump."

The control tower told the crew that it had received "numerous reports" of similar incidents during the evening, and instructed that the plane be guided to the gate after landing so it could be inspected and officials could determine whether it had sustained any damage from the strike.

The recordings also suggested this was not an isolated case. In one of them, a Chicago air traffic controller can be heard addressing another Southwest Airlines flight approaching for landing and saying: "Welcome to the war zone."

At the same time as the events in Chicago, Independence Day celebrations also led to unusual environmental effects in Washington, D.C. According to a CNN report, the city recorded the worst air quality of any major city in the world after a fireworks display that lasted about 40 minutes and included the launch of roughly 850,000 fireworks.

In response to the severe pollution, authorities issued an air quality emergency alert and urged residents to limit the time they spent outdoors. The official statement said the air quality was "unhealthy for older adults, children, and people with medical conditions," and clarified that the general public could also experience health effects because of the air conditions created after the show.