Two passenger planes flew remarkably close to the roof of DHL Stadium in Cape Town ahead of South Africa's clash with New Zealand, leaving rugby fans fearing the worst.
The aircraft, two Airlink Embraer 190 passenger planes, swept low over the stadium before kick-off in the second Test of 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour. The world champions won the match 33-26 to level the series.
This was no ordinary flyover. Instead of military aircraft such as the Red Arrows or fighter jets, fans were treated to something altogether more unusual.
Planes pass just 12 metres above the roof
The first aircraft immediately caught the crowd's attention as it swept remarkably close to the stands. But it was the second plane that really had fans on edge, with its right wing appearing to pass directly through the smoke from a pyrotechnic.
Data from Flightradar later showed just how close the flyover came, with the planes passing only 12 metres above the stadium roof. Despite the alarming scenes, available flight data suggests there was no danger of the Airlink aircraft colliding with the 55,000-capacity stadium.
Low-level flypasts a tradition in South Africa
Low-level flypasts have long been woven into the fabric of major sporting events in South Africa, according to the local publication. One of the most famous came at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, when a South African Airways Boeing 747 passed over a packed Ellis Park in Johannesburg before South Africa faced New Zealand.
Some fans took to social media to voice their concern. "That looks really dangerous and probably strictly forbidden in Europe too," wrote one fan. A second commented: "I don't think they were supposed to be that low. Someone may be in trouble."
