Engine fire forces Hainan Airlines plane back to Rome

The right engine of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated by Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines has caught fire shortly after take-off from Rome's Fiumicino airport, an Italian airport official and the coast guard say.

The plane, bound for the Chinese city of Shenzhen with 249 passengers and 16 crew members, turned back and landed safely after dumping fuel over the sea.

The aircraft was apparently struck by a bird, the Italian coast guard said in a statement.

Bird strikes are common and can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.

There were no delays to air traffic at Fiumicino, the airport official said.