Southwest flight diverts to BWI after striking bird while departing DCA

A Southwest Airlines flight had to make an unscheduled stop at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) on Tuesday after the plane struck a bird while departing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Virginia. 

Southwest Airlines said in a statement to CBS News Baltimore that Flight 1379 was scheduled to fly from Reagan to Houston Hobby airport, but was "safely diverted to Baltimore following a bird strike upon departure at DCA."

"The pilots followed procedures and the flight landed uneventfully. Customers will be accommodated to Houston on a separate aircraft. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees," the statement added. 

A spokesman for BWI confirmed the diversion, saying "the aircraft landed safely and without incident."