Plane forced to turn back after horse breaks lose on board

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Updated Nov 29, 2023 at 03:32 PM

Reading time: 1 minute

In a bizarre incident that could only be described as an airborne escapade, a Boeing 747 cargo plane recently made headlines when it was forced to return to New York City shortly after takeoff to address an unexpected passenger situation—a horse on the loose.

Around 30 minutes into its journey to Belgium, the pilot calmly informed air traffic control: “Yes sir, we are a cargo plane; we have a live animal, a horse, on board the aeroplane, and the horse managed to escape its stall. We don’t have a problem flying-wise, but we need to return to New York. We cannot get the horse back secure.”

FlightRadar24 data illustrated the plane’s ascent to 31,000 feet before executing a U-turn off the coast of Boston. To adhere to safe landing weight regulations, approximately 20 tonnes of fuel were jettisoned over the Atlantic.

The humorous yet unprecedented situation led the pilot to make an additional request to air traffic control: “We need to have a vet on standby when we land.”

Upon landing at New York’s JFK airport, a control tower worker inquired if the pilot required assistance. The response? “On the ground, negative, on the ramp, yes. We have a horse in… difficulty.”

The operator of the flight, Air Atlanta Icelandic, has yet to provide official comments on this unexpected mid-air equestrian adventure.

The recent incident is not the inaugural occurrence of an animal breaking free from its cargo stall mid-flight. In a similar incident this past August, a bear managed to extricate itself from its crate during an Iraqi Airways flight travelling from Dubai to Baghdad.

This latest incident raises questions about the safety protocols in place for transporting live animals via cargo planes. While such events are rare, they emphasise the importance of securing cargo, especially when dealing with unconventional shipments.

Another important factor is the crazy situations airline crews can find themselves in. Besides the obvious worry about the horse’s safety, the crew had to figure out fuel and weight balance while ensuring a smooth and safe landing.

Keep On Reading

By Monica Athnasious

Forget farts, cows might actually be burping the planet into an early grave

By Alma Fabiani

Woman rants about being Instagram famous in viral plane meltdown video

By Charlie Sawyer

World’s tallest living woman finally flies after aeroplane crew makes surprising accommodation

By Charlie Sawyer

UN Security Council urges immediate ceasefire amid hospital bombing in Gaza

By Abby Amoakuh

Timothée Chalamet finally speaks out on Armie Hammer cannibalism and Bones And All connection

By Phoebe Snedker

What’s wrong with the girl dinner TikTok trend? Gather your cheeses and grapes and let us explain

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

With the US football team out of the Women’s World Cup, who will now snatch the trophy?

By Mason Berlinka

Is Kanye West making a comeback? Why we shouldn’t allow the rapper to return to centre stage

By Alma Fabiani

Jonah Hill accused of sexual misconduct by former Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas

By Emma O'Regan-Reidy

Dry brushing: Gwyneth Paltrow’s obsessed with it but does it actually offer any benefits?

By Jennifer Raymont

15 jorts you’ll need to channel your inner Adam Sandler this summer

By Mason Berlinka

Meta’s coming for Elon Musk’s bag: Everything you need to know about the latest Twitter copycat, Threads

By Mason Berlinka

Missing Titanic submersible: Where was it last seen and how much time has the crew got left?

By Charlie Sawyer

Watch viral video showing which US states lean towards Barbie or Oppenheimer

By Abby Amoakuh

Black models boycott Melbourne Fashion Week to protest racial discrimination

By Mason Berlinka

Meet Lex Fridman, the controversial podcaster who infiltrated Elon Musk’s inner circle

By Charlie Sawyer

Watch hundreds of people dressed as dogs gather for Berlin event

By Charlie Sawyer

Generation Z careers: Exploring trends, preferences and strategies

By Mason Berlinka

Watch video of Tyson Fury’s dad trying to fight KSI at boxing press conference

By Phoebe Snedker

TikTok is triggering a rise in spiritual psychosis among gen Z