A Spanish jet F-18 stunned crowds as it executed a dramatic dive to avoid a flock of birds and a subsequent crash on a crowded beach during a major airshow.
The incident took place during the Gijon Air Festival which was held in the Asturias in Northern Spain. The jet was performing low attitude display when it pulled off an evasive maneuver.
However, a video went viral on social media, showing the jet turning upside down and rushing towards the sea before swooping away at the last minute.
The Spanish Airforce confirmed in an official statement, “Jet performed an evasive maneuver when it detected a flock of birds in its path.”
They further declared, “This action is part of standard protocol to protect both the pilot and the safety of the public. Our pilots are trained to react in milliseconds to any unforeseen event.”
Pictures went viral on social media platforms showing the people on San Lorenzo beach filming the unforeseen incident and screaming in shock as the plane nearly avoided crashing.
It was the largest festival in its history, with the audience of more than 300,000 people.
In addition, numerous videos clearly show the pilot avoiding birds in the aircraft’s path. If a catastrophic bird strike had occurred while flying at that particular angle, it could have resulted in a big disaster.
