Kuwait Airways said its flight number 301 heading from Kuwait to Mumbai, India returned safely to Kuwait Airport due to a bird crashing into the plane's cockpit late Wednesday.

The plane returned to the airport and passengers were switched into an alternative plane to resume their flight, according to international aviation safety laws, said the company in a statement Thursday.

Birds crashing into planes usually pose danger on safety, with some recorded yet rare incidents where such accidents had killed some people. However, 65 percent of bird crashing causes mild damage to the plane.

The annual financial damage of these accidents is estimated at USD 400 million in the US and USD 1.2 billion around the world.