Iberia flight makes emergency landing after bird strike, raising concerns over wildlife risks at airports

An Iberia Airbus A321XLR registered EC-OOJ bound for Paris-Orly as flight IB579 was forced to return to Madrid-Barajas Airport on Sunday after colliding with a vulture shortly after takeoff. The bird strike, which occurred at around 6,500 feet and damaged the aircraft’s nose and left engine, triggered an emergency landing. All 180 passengers were unharmed and rebooked on another flight later that day.

The incident has reignited discussion about air safety and bird strike prevention, especially involving large birds like vultures, which are less common but more dangerous. Emergency crews met the plane upon landing, and videos circulating online showed passengers wearing oxygen masks mid-flight.

While bird strikes are relatively frequent, they usually occur during takeoff and landing and rarely cause major damage. However, the Jeju Air crash in 2024 and a near-miss involving a Spanish Air Force jet in July 2025 illustrate their potential severity.

Experts say more robust wildlife control systems are needed near airports. Spain has taken steps, such as installing its first avian radar system at Bilbao Airport in 2022—technology already in use at major European hubs like Frankfurt and Amsterdam—to better detect and prevent bird-related hazards.