A herd of wild boars caused significant travel chaos in northern Spain on Saturday morning after breaching the perimeter of A Coruña Airport and invading the runway.
Runway Invasion Forces Flight Diversions
The unexpected animal incursion led airport operator Aena to temporarily close the runway for nearly two hours. The incident directly impacted several early morning flights, with two incoming services forced to divert to alternative airports.
An Iberia flight from Madrid and an easyJet service arriving from Milan were rerouted to Santiago de Compostela Airport. Passengers on the diverted Madrid flight reportedly remained on the tarmac in Santiago for over an hour, with the pilot apologising for the inconvenience.
Knock-On Delays and Past Precedents
The closure caused a ripple effect of delays throughout the morning schedule. Two outbound flights – an Air Europa service to Madrid and a Vueling flight to Barcelona – were also held up. While the diverted flights eventually returned to land in A Coruña once the runway reopened around 11am, the knock-on disruption persisted.
It remains unclear precisely how the animals gained access to the secure airport area. This is not an isolated incident in global aviation. Notably, in a previous serious event, an Indian passenger plane was badly damaged after colliding with a wild boar on the runway at Dumna airport in Jabalpur.
A Global Issue of Wildlife and Runways
Instances of animals straying onto active runways, while disruptive, are not uncommon worldwide. Different regions face unique challenges:
- In Alaska, runways can be crossed by creatures like musk ox, caribou, and moose.
- Florida airports periodically deal with alligators on tarmac areas.
- This is not even the first such boar incident in Spain; in 2015, one broke through a fence at Madrid’s international airport, causing similar brief closures and delays.
The event at A Coruña Airport highlights the ongoing challenge airport authorities face in managing perimeter security against wildlife, where a single breach can lead to widespread travel disruption and significant safety concerns.
