Man climbs onto Vueling aircraft in Valencia, two-hour flight delay

A flight from Valencia to Amsterdam was delayed by more than two hours on Saturday after a 24-year-old man climbed on top of a Vueling aircraft while it was still on the ground at Valencia’s Manises Airport, authorities confirmed.

The incident took place at around 18:30 local time, just as the Airbus A320 registered EC-MYC was preparing to depart for the Dutch capital. According to Aena and the Spanish Civil Guard, witnesses captured video of the individual visibly upset and moving around on top of the aeroplane’s fuselage as airport workers and security personnel tried to manage the situation.

Civil Guard officers eventually intervened and got the man to come down safely without causing any physical injuries or damage to the aircraft. Medical personnel then transported him to Hospital General de València in a basic life support unit because of his unsettled mental state.

After the incident, the individual was reported for violating Spain’s Aviation Safety Law, which could carry both fines and prison sentences depending on the seriousness of the violation, authorities said.

The flight — identified as VY8351 — eventually departed for Amsterdam at approximately 20:50, once airport officials had verified that the aircraft was safe to fly. Spokespeople for Vueling confirmed the departure to Las Provincias, a local news outlet that first shared footage of the occurrence.

Airport operator Aena has also initiated an internal investigation into how the man was able to access the restricted runway area, which is supposed to be secured with enhanced safety measures.

Source: Se sube al techo de un avión en Valencia y retrasa dos horas un vuelo a Ámsterdam (La Vanguardia)