Bear Spotted on Airport Runway... Multiple Flights Canceled

Bear Spotted on the Runway,
Causing Flight Delays and Cancellations at Yamagata Airport

A bear appeared on the runway of a regional airport in Japan, causing a commotion that led to a series of flight cancellations.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun and other Japanese media on June 26, at around 7 a.m. that day, a bear measuring 1.2 meters in length was spotted by airport staff on the runway of Yamagata Airport in Yamagata Prefecture, eastern Honshu. For safety reasons, airport authorities immediately closed the runway and began patrols, but it was reported that they were unable to capture the bear.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Pixabay

A professional hunting group was also dispatched to the scene and set traps. During this process, four flights were delayed in the morning alone. When the bear reappeared around lunchtime, airport authorities suspended all flight operations and closed the runway again.

Ultimately, the airport decided that it was difficult to ensure safety and chose to keep the runway closed until 8 p.m. Due to this unexpected bear incident, it was reported that about ten flights were canceled in the afternoon.