(This is a representational image)

A United Airlines pilot was injured and forced to make an emergency landing after a mystery object shattered the windshield of a Boeing 737 at 36,000 feet on Thursday.

Pilot injured, cockpit damaged

Photos circulating online reportedly show the pilot’s arms bleeding and bruised, consistent with cuts from shattered glass. Broken glass coated the cockpit dashboard, and some images revealed scorch marks at the point of impact.United Flight 1093, en route from Denver to Los Angeles, diverted safely to Salt Lake City and safely landed after descending to 26,000 feet. United Airlines said, “We arranged for another aircraft to take customers to Los Angeles later that day and our maintenance team is working to return the aircraft to service.” The plane remains grounded in Salt Lake City.

Experts weigh in

While some observers speculated that the windshield strike could have been caused by space debris or even a meteor, experts caution that the probability of serious injury from space debris is extremely low, one-trillion-to-one, according to a 2023 FAA report.Electrical malfunctions can also cause windshield cracks, but the combination of broken glass and scorch marks suggests an object likely struck the plane. Birds, hail, and other objects typically pose a risk only at lower altitudes, making this incident particularly unusual.

Space debris concerns grow

The incident highlights growing concerns over space debris, with Nasa currently tracking more than 25,000 pieces larger than four inches orbiting Earth.