Wild boars occupy Spanish airport runway causing flights to be diverted

A bizarre wildlife incident disrupted operations at La Coruña Airport on the morning of Saturday, December 27, when several wild boars breached the airport boundaries and began trotting along the runway, which led to a temporary closure for safety reasons.

According to airport operator Aena, the presence of the animal(s) on the runway led to the suspension of flights starting early in the morning. Unlike typical disruptions caused by Galicia’s frequent fog, this incident was solely due to the boar intrusion.

“Sorry, I regret having to bring you to Santiago,” pilot apologises

Two incoming flights were diverted to Santiago de Compostela Airport: an Iberia flight from Madrid, scheduled to land at 8.40am, and an EasyJet flight from Milan, due at around 9.10am. Passengers on the Madrid flight remained on the tarmac in Santiago for over an hour, with the pilot apologising over the intercom: “Sorry, I regret having to bring you to Santiago,” explaining the diversion was unavoidable due to an animal at La Coruña airport.

Additionally, two outbound flights were delayed: an Air Europa service to Madrid and a Vueling flight to Barcelona. Passengers on these flights had boarded but had to disembark again to the terminal, causing frustration and tension, particularly among families with young children and infants uncertain about resumption times.

The airport remained closed for nearly two hours until authorities were able to shoo the boars at around 10.50–11am. The diverted flights later returned and landed in La Coruña shortly before noon, while subsequent morning flights experienced cascading delays.

The airport’s perimeter is fenced with concertina wire to prevent wildlife entry, but it’s unclear how the boar(s) gained access. Local platform “Alvedro Vuela Más Alto” noted on social media that the animal appeared “lost”, highlighting ongoing challenges with wildlife in the area.

Passengers reported limited communication from airlines during the ordeal, with one diverted traveller joking they could have reached La Coruña faster by bus from Santiago.

It has not been the first time in recent months that wildlife has disrupted flights landing in Spain. In August Ryanair and Wizz Air flights were diverted from landing at Malaga Airport due to a flamingo occupying the runway.