Latest news with #SpanishAirForce
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Onlookers capture moment fighter jet skims terrifyingly close to packed beach
This is the terrifying moment a fighter jet skimmed frighteningly close to a packed Spanish beach. Shocking footage shows a Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet roaring over San Lorenzo Beach, its nose diving towards the sea before pulling up just metres from sunbathers. The combat aircraft, spewing puffs of black smoke, is seen flipping upside down in the sky before swooping so low it appears to almost graze the sand. Holiday-makers lounging on the beach can be seen grabbing their phones to film the stunt, with several screaming in shock as the jet thundered overhead. In another clip, groups of spectators watching from a nearby hill can be heard raising their voices in alarm as the jet tore through the air. The hair-raising display took place during the nineteenth edition of the Gijón Air Festival, held on Sunday over San Lorenzo Bay in Asturias. Around 250,000 people flock to the annual event, which is considered one of Spain's biggest aeronautic spectacles. After its perilous near-miss, the fighter jet continued its flight away from the crowded shoreline, leaving shaken tourists staring in disbelief. But online, viewers were divided over whether the death-defying manoeuvre was intentional – or a risky slip-up. 'Very risky manoeuvre … is that allowed?' one user asked on TikTok. Another on Reddit suggested: 'For me it looked like he lost too much height during the roll and pulled up too hard, making him lose a lot of speed, unintentionally. 'Could be the perspective, too.' Others, however, were left awe-struck. One thrilled festival-goer declared: 'I witnessed that live and it was one of the best things I've seen in a long time.' It comes as terrified beachgoers in Sardinia were forced to flee when a raging wildfire tore across the popular Punta Molentis coastline. Holiday-makers dropped towels and sunbeds as smoke engulfed the golden sand, with flames creeping right up to the water's edge in the blistering 34C heat. More than 100 people had to be rescued by sea after escape routes were cut off, while firefighters battled the inferno with Canadair water bombers, helicopters and even an Italian Air Force aircraft. Cars parked by the shore were left reduced to twisted metal after the blaze ripped through a beach parking area, torching around 200 vehicles and a kiosk. Local media said a 'jewel' of the Sarrabus coast had been destroyed, with footage showing families scrambling to safety as thick plumes of grey and black smoke filled the sky. The Sardinia fire is the latest in a series of Mediterranean infernos, with Turkey enduring a deadly 50 degree celsius heatwave that has already claimed four lives and forced 3,500 people to evacuate. Greece has also been ravaged, with wildfires sweeping villages near Athens and scorching parts of the Aegean Islands after a week-long heatwave pushed temperatures beyond 45 degrees celsius. A blaze even tore through a northern suburb of Athens at the weekend, forcing panicked residents to flee their homes.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Military jet comes perilously close to crowded beach while avoiding flock of birds
Watch as a military jet spins to avoid a flock of birds that were in its path in Spain. Footage captured on Sunday (July 27) shows the Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet fighter performing an 'evasive manoeuvre' after detecting the animals, shocking passers-by on the ground below on San Lorenzo Beach. The Spanish Air Force said: 'This action is part of standard protocol to protect both the pilot and the safety of the public. 'Our pilots are trained to react in milliseconds to any unforeseen event.' The jet was performing as part of the nineteenth edition of the Gijón Air Festival, a popular aeronautical event first held in 2006.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Watch: Spanish fighter jet loses control during airshow; almost crashes into crowd
A sunny day at San Lorenzo beach was interrupted by a dramatic plane dive that left spectators in shock, as a Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet suddenly swooped low over the water during the 2025 Festival Aereo Internacional de Gijon. Footage shows the EF-18 Hornet continuing a normal path before a sudden dive, descending alarmingly close to the beach. However, it climbed back up moments later, trailing dark smoke and leaving the crowd stunned. The video clip left many confused by this sudden movement, which was later clarified by Spain's Air and Space Force. What initially appeared to be a dangerous mishap was a 'part of the standard protocol to protect both the pilot's safety and the public's safety,' it said. 'Our aviators are trained to react in milliseconds to any unforeseen event,' the force wrote in a statement on social media platform X. 'In this case, the pilot acted with exemplary speed and professionalism, avoiding a possible impact without compromising the display.' The incident took place on 28 July 2025 during a low-altitude flypast over the bay, with more than 300,000 spectators, making it the most attended airshow in Gijon's history, as per Aerotime. Despite the dramatic moment, no injuries or damage were reported, and the aircraft returned safely to base. The lineup for the show included performances from the Spanish Air and Space Force, Navy, Search and Rescue units, the National Police, and aerobatic pilots flying light aircraft. Such close encounters are not uncommon. Just last month, a Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon struck a seagull mid-performance at the Aire25 airshow in Murcia. The impact shattered the cockpit canopy and punctured the windshield, forcing the pilot to abort the routine and make an emergency landing. The pilot escaped unscathed, though the aircraft suffered extensive damage. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), more than 270,000 wildlife-related aircraft incidents occurred globally between 2016 and 2021, with over 8,000 causing significant damage. Bird strikes are especially prevalent at low altitudes near coastlines and migratory paths, conditions typical of summer airshows.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Military jet performs evasive manoeuvre to avoid flock of birds in its path at Spanish festival
Watch as a military jet spins to avoid a flock of birds that were in its path in Spain. Footage captured on Sunday (July 27) shows the Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet fighter performing an 'evasive manoeuvre' after detecting the animals, shocking passers-by on the ground below on San Lorenzo Beach. The Spanish Air Force said: 'This action is part of standard protocol to protect both the pilot and the safety of the public. 'Our pilots are trained to react in milliseconds to any unforeseen event.' The jet was performing as part of the nineteenth edition of the Gijón Air Festival, a popular aeronautical event first held in 2006.
Euronews
3 days ago
- General
- Euronews
Flock of birds nearly cause Spanish jet to crash on beach amid airshow
A flock of birds nearly caused a Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet fighter jet to crash on a crowded beach during a major airshow. During the Gijón Air Festival — which was held over the weekend in Asturias in northern Spain — the jet was performing a low-altitude display when it suddenly pulled off an evasive manoeuvre. Videos of the incident show the jet turning upside down, trailing black smoke and hurtling towards the sea before swooping away at the last minute. People on San Lorenzo Beach were seen filming the near miss on their phones, with some shouting and screaming in shock as the plane narrowly avoided crashing. In a post on X on Monday, the Spanish Air Force said the jet "performed an evasive manoeuvre when it detected a flock of birds in its path". "This action is part of standard protocol to protect both the pilot and the safety of the public. Our pilots are trained to react in milliseconds to any unforeseen event," it said. More than 300,000 people attended the Gijón Air Festival, making it the largest in annual event's history, according to local media. There were displays by the Spanish Air and Space Force, Search and Rescue, Navy and National Police, among other performances. Just last month, a similar incident occurred at the Aire25 airshow in Murcia in southeastern Spain. A Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon was performing a display when a seagull collided with the jet's canopy. The collision broke the canopy and punctured the windshield, forcing the pilot to end the routine and land immediately, aviation media reported. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), at least 270,000 reports of wildlife strikes to aircraft were recorded globally between 2016 and 2021.
