A US Airways plane bound for Charlotte just crashed into the Hudson River after aborting its take-off from LaGuardia Airport. All 150 passengers and 5 crew members were reportedly safe.

Rumours are circulating that it could have been a flock of birds that caused the engines to stop.

The pilot of the plane has bee lauded as a hero. Experts say Chesley Sullenberger made a textbook emergency landing into the freezing water under life-or-death pressure.

You can find some photo's on flickr.

My question is, how vulnerable are planes to flocks of birds? I heard some time ago that some airports have trained birds of prey that they let out every now and then to ward off smaller birds from airports. Are you scared of flying? That perhaps something like this might happen.