Madrid: Passengers aboard an Iberia flight from Madrid to Paris began panicking after a bird slammed into the aircraft's nose shortly after take-off, forcing an emergency landing.
The collision caused severe damage to the plane's exterior, spreading smoke inside the cabin, and led to the release of oxygen masks as terrified passengers braced for the worst. A video of the incident also surfaced on social media. Have a look:
Cabin Fills with Smoke At 20,000 Feet In Sky
The plane, which had just departed Madrid Airport en route to Paris Orly, was only 20 minutes into the flight when the bird struck its nose. According to ABC News, passenger Giancarlo Sandoval recalled the confusion onboard, saying, "We thought that it was the turbulence that the captain was talking about, but then we started hearing a noise... and we were like, okay, something's going on."
Moments later, smoke began filling the cabin, prompting the automatic deployment of oxygen masks. A baby’s cries could be heard in the background while others sat frozen in fear. Sandoval, who documented the unsettling experience, described the situation as harrowing, with passengers unsure of what would happen next.
Emergency Landing in Madrid
A video circulating on social media showed nearly half of the aircraft’s nose wiped out by the impact. The plane, unable to continue its journey, circled back and landed safely in Madrid.
In an official statement, Iberia confirmed that all passengers were safe and praised the crew’s calm handling of the crisis. "The entire flight crew, including pilots and cabin crew, acted with the utmost professionalism in managing the situation and attending to the passengers," it read.
ABC News contributor Col Steve Ganyard, USMC (Ret), said that while bird strikes are common, “fewer than 10% of those bird strikes cause damage to the aircraft. In this case, the damage was severe enough to one of the engines that it caused smoke coming into the cabin.”
