CANBERRA July 15 (Xinhua) -- A man has died after the helicopter he was traveling in struck a bird during a flight in Australia's Northern Territory (NT).

NT Police said in a statement on Monday night that emergency services received reports around 2 p.m. local time that a helicopter carrying two occupants had made an emergency landing at the remote Lake Evella airstrip, over 500 km east of the NT capital city of Darwin, after striking a bird.

"The impact allegedly caused the bird to fatally strike a 54-year-old male passenger," police said.

The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely and was uninjured.

Police and ambulance paramedics attended the scene where the 54-year-old was declared deceased.

News Corp Australia newspapers reported that the collision caused the bird to ricochet into the cabin and strike the passenger. ■