MUMBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - An Emirates flight landed

safely in Mumbai late on Monday night after colliding with a

flock of flamingos shortly before touchdown, damaging the plane

and leaving several birds dead, the airline said on Wednesday.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, flying from Dubai to Mumbai,

hit the flock around 300 metres (1,000 ft) from the ground,

leaving 39 of the birds dead, the Times of India newspaper

reported.

"Emirates can confirm that EK508 from Dubai to Mumbai on 20

May was involved in a bird strike incident upon landing," an

Emirates spokesperson told Reuters.

"The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew

disembarked without injury, however sadly a number of flamingos

were lost and Emirates is cooperating with the authorities on

the matter," the spokesperson said.

Images in local media showed officials carrying bloodied

flamingos, which migrate to the city every winter from the

neighbouring state of Gujarat.

The Emirates aircraft was damaged in the incident and the

return flight, scheduled to depart for Dubai on May 20, was

cancelled, the spokesperson said.