[Report] According to media reports from the U.S. “Warzone” website and other sources, a Spanish Air Force F/A-18 “Hornet” fighter jet made an unusual maneuver on the beach in Ciudad de la Habana, Spain, on the 27th local time, nearly crashing into the sea. In response, the Spanish Air Force stated on the 28th that the action was a pilot’s avoidance maneuver to dodge birds.
The report described how the fighter jet approached the crowded beach at an almost vertical angle at super low altitude, then suddenly executed a violent right roll. This sudden maneuver caused the jet to rapidly descend and fly close to the water surface before successfully pulling up and climbing away from danger.
The “Warzone” website mentioned that performing such an action while flying towards the crowd is extremely dangerous because the aircraft’s inertia could cause it to overshoot the performance line and head towards the crowd. Additionally, it was noted that Spain had lost one of its “Hornet” fighter jets during a routine flight exercise at an air show in 2023.
In response to this incident, the Spanish Air Force responded on social media platform X, stating that the above actions were taken to “dodge birds.”
“Our F-18 fighter jet immediately took evasive action when it discovered a flock of birds in its flight path. This action is standard procedure aimed at ensuring the safety of both the pilot and the public,” the Spanish Air Force said. “In this event, the pilot demonstrated commendable reaction speed and professionalism, avoiding a collision without affecting the performance.”