(SeaPRwire) – Local reports indicate that a man was detained at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Saturday after he is alleged to have climbed onto the wing of a U.S. military aircraft and attacked it with a hatchet.
Irish police, known as Gardaí, stated that a man in his 40s entered an unauthorized area of the County Clare airport and was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. on suspicion of criminal damage. Gardaí added that investigations are ongoing.
The aircraft involved was a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane parked on a remote taxiway, according to Irish news outlet The Journal.
Online-circulated video appeared to show a man in dark clothing walking along the aircraft’s wing during the incident. He can be seen moving across the wing near the engines and fuselage.
This breach has reignited concerns about security at Shannon Airport, which has seen multiple recent incidents involving unauthorized access to restricted areas.
A Shannon Airport spokesperson said the facility temporarily suspended operations following the breach.
“The airport suspended operations at approximately 9:50 a.m. and operations resumed at 10:15 a.m.,” the spokesperson stated.
The brief closure caused minor disruption: two departing flights were delayed, and one incoming aircraft was placed in a holding pattern before landing shortly after 10:20 a.m., The Journal reported.
Authorities including airport police, Gardaí, and Irish Defence Forces personnel responded to the scene, per The Journal. Armed officers and specialist units were also deployed.
Officials conducted a search of the airport perimeter to determine how the suspect gained access to the restricted area.
According to The Journal, this incident is the latest in a string of recent security breaches at Shannon Airport.
In November, three people were arrested after a van breached airport security and entered a restricted area. Last May, another vehicle crashed through a perimeter fence, forcing a temporary shutdown. Weeks later, three women were arrested for allegedly accessing the airfield and damaging an aircraft.
Authorities have not commented on whether Saturday’s incident is linked to those prior breaches.
Shannon Airport has been the site of frequent anti-war protests for years over its use by the U.S. military, dating back to the Iraq War era.
Digital reached out to U.S. Air Forces in Europe to request comment.
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