Pilot hailed as hero after safely landing Russian jet in a corn field after bird strike
(WorldNews Europe)

MOSCOW - A Russian pilot was hailed as a hero Thursday for safely landing his passenger jet in a corn field after it collided with a flock of gulls seconds after takeoff, causing both engines to malfunction. While dozens of people on the plane sought medical assistance, only one was hospitalized. The quick thinking of the captain, 41-year old Damir Yusupov, drew comparisons to the 2009 "miracle on the Hudson," when Capt. Chesley Sullenberger safely ditched his plane in New York`s Hudson River after a bird strike disabled its engines. Russian television stations showed passengers standing in head-high corn next to the plane, hugging Yusupov and thanking him for saving their lives....