Badger on runway prevents Flybe plane from landing in Cornwall


Badger on runway prevents Flybe plane from landing in Cornwall
Badger on runway prevents Flybe plane from landing in Cornwall




A badger on the runway at Newquay Airport in Cornwall forced a Flybe plane to abort its landing.

The flight from Gatwick to Newquay was around 300ft off the ground when the animal was spotted by the bird control unit.


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Passenger Pete Atkinson told how there was a panicked five minutes between when the aircraft climbed sharply and the pilot explained what was happening.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: "We were on the final approach when all of a sudden the under-carriage was lifted back up and the engines revved up.

"People went quiet and started to look out of the window as we headed out over the sea."

The pilot soon explained that the delay was due to a badger being spotted on the runway, to which some of the 60 passengers laughed and joked about roadkill.


Badger on runway prevents Flybe plane from landing in Cornwall
Badger on runway prevents Flybe plane from landing in Cornwall



According to the Plymouth Herald, the airport said the pilot's action was a case of being "cautious in the interest of safety".

FlyBe flight 806 was due to land at 9.15pm on Sunday, and was delayed by around 15 minutes.

A spokesman for Cornwall Airport Newquay reported that there was "a suspected badger sighted on the runway by the bird control unit".

The aircraft then landed safely following a full check of the runway.





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