The bear caused a significant delay to the Iraqi Airway’s flight to Baghdad after it escaped its crate in the plane’s cargo hold. Image source: @Everything65687 (via X)
Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, has ordered an investigation into the cause of a bear’s escape from its crate in the cargo gold of a plane awaiting departure at Dubai International Airport.
Iraqi Airways claimed that the bear’s escape was not the airline’s fault, as the aircraft waited for take off from Dubai late last week.
Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest airport for international travel.
The airline said that all procedures to transport the bear were performed in accordance with the law, and the approved standards and procedures of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The escaped bear led to the flight being delayed as specialists arrived to sedate the animal so it could be safely removed from the plane.
A now viral video clip shows the bear looking at airport staff from the cargo hold, with the cargo door open enough to allow one crewmember to touch the bear’s head as it looked at them.
🎥 The bear caused a delay in the flight
🔹 A bear collar came out of the cargo cage on the Dubai-Baghdad flight and caused a delay in the flight. pic.twitter.com/SMpfyV3eEU
— Everything you need to know (@Everything65687) August 5, 2023
Other footage shows the plane’s captain apologising to passengers for the delayed take off as a result of the bear’s wanderings in the aircraft’s cargo hold.
Initially, Iraqi Airways claimed the bear from being flown from Baghdad to Dubai — but this was disputed by the video clip in which a passenger said the aircraft was delayed for an hour for its flight to Baghdad, and that passengers were asked to disembark until the situation was resolved.
An anonymous Iraqi Airways official later confirmed that the bear was being transported to Baghdad, but declined to name the bear’s owner, or the animal’s name and species.
Among Baghdad’s wealthy, keeping predatory animals as pets has become increasingly popular — to the point that police have requested citizens to report situations where animals escape onto the streets or ending up as exotic meat on restaurant tables.
