Once again, this is why good grammar can 'uncomplicate' a thread such as this. I think they meant that "...the crew were informed that they had hit something whilst taxying" and not "...the crew were informed that they had hit something
, whilst taxying". Note the placing of the comma!
It is most likely that they received a message that they may have hit something whilst taxying, after they were airborne, performed a controlability check and then decided that they could continue in the absence of any indications of abnormalities and a possible lack off any a/c debris at the scene of the incident. So before the 'shock, horror' brigade dive in with the
(Victor Meldrew voice) "I don't believe it!" comments perhaps some clarification would be useful from someone closer to the source.