United Kingdom, Feb. 1 -- Sir Elton John's private jet was involved in a terrifying incident after being divebombed by a "huge hawk".

The 78-year-old music icon was on board the Boeing 737 aircraft with his family last month when pilot Duncan Gillespie had to perform an "unorthodox" manoeuvre when the bird of prey dived at the plane.

Gillespie said that he had "dodged a bullet" for the first time in his career just as the plane set off for Paris on January 23.

In footage from inside the cockpit, the pilot is heard saying "delay... bird... oh s***".

As the aircraft takes off, he says "we'd have whacked" as his co-pilot answers: "F****** falcon, that was a big a** bird!"

Gillespie wrote alongside the footage on his Facebook page: "I ha...