Emergency services including the coastguard were put on standby after a plane hit difficulties shortly after leaving Liverpool Liverpool Airport.
The 6.30am Ryan Air flight to Paphos in Cyprus left the Speke - based airport as planned this morning.
However around 7am emergency services including police, fire, coastguard and lifeboat crews were all alerted to the "aircraft emergency" when the plane hit difficulties.
The plane was forced to turn around and head back to John Lennon Airport.
Today airport officials confirmed the plane landed safely and a suspected bird strike was behind this morning's drama.
Passengers safely disembarked from the plane and were due to fly out on a replacement plane to Paphos at 11.20am.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport stressed it was "standard practice" to notify emergency services in such situations and the plane's return to Liverpool was a "precautionary measure".
RNLI New Brighton confirmed it was alerted posting on its Facebook page: "New Brighton RNLI lifeboat volunteers tasked by UK Coastguard at 07:08am this morning to a report of an Aircraft Emergency at John Lennon Airport.
"Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service Marine Fire One And HM Coastguard Crosby also tasked.
"Lifeboat Stood down as the aircraft had thankfully landed safely."
Liverpool John Lennon Airport spokesman Robin Tudor told the ECHO: "It was simply a precautionary measure with an aircraft that had departed earlier and suspected it had suffered a birdstrike so returned to the airport.
"As a part of standard practise in such situations the various emergency services are notified, however the aircraft landed normally without incident and the passengers are due to fly out later this morning."
According to aviation website SKYbrary, a bird strike is strictly defined as a collision between a bird and an aircraft which is in flight or on a take off or landing roll.
The term is often expanded to cover other wildlife strikes - with bats or ground animals.
It adds that bird strike is common and "can be a significant threat to aircraft safety".
