Top News

The flight was in the sky when a huge bird hit it, the nose of the plane was blown to pieces; passengers panicked

Samira Vishwas | August 9, 2025 10:24 AM CST

New Delhi. Iberia Airlines flight IB579 from Madrid airport to Paris on Sunday had to make an emergency landing after a bird hit it minutes after takeoff. The incident sparked panic among passengers as the plane cabin filled with smoke and oxygen masks came out. A video viral on social media shows the panic of the passengers and the massive damage to the nose section of the plane.

What is the whole matter?

Flight IB579 took off from Madrid at about 4:42 p.m., but was about 30 minutes behind schedule. About 20 minutes after takeoff, a large bird collided with the plane’s nose radome and an engine at an altitude of 7,000 feet. The impact caused severe damage to the plane, causing smoke to fill the cabin. “We thought it was normal turbulence, but then we heard strange noises. We knew something was wrong,” said passenger Giancarlo Sandoval.

Panic among passengers

In the viral video, passengers are seen using oxygen masks while a baby’s crying can be heard in the background. A female passenger said that it was difficult to breathe due to the smoke. To control the situation, the flight crew immediately followed emergency protocols and decided to return to Madrid airport. The plane landed safely on runway 32L after being in the air for about 50 minutes. Air traffic controllers praised the crew’s “fantastic work” which averted any major accident.

Damage to the aircraft

After landing, photographs showed heavy damage to the nose section of the plane, with a large part of the radome completely blown off. In addition, the weather radar antenna and the right engine were also damaged. The plane was one of the newest planes in Iberia’s fleet and was delivered only two months ago. The plane is now grounded for repairs. Experts believe that such damage could put the plane out of service for a long time.

Iberia Airlines issued a statement saying, “A few minutes after takeoff, flight IB579 suffered a large bird strike, causing damage to the front of the aircraft and one of the engines. As per safety protocols, the captain asked for permission to return to the departure airport, where the aircraft landed safely. The entire crew, including pilots and cabin crew, showed the utmost professionalism in managing the situation and taking care of the passengers.”