A newly delivered Airbus A321XLR from Iberia was damaged after colliding with birds shortly after takeoff from Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD), forcing the aircraft to return to the Spanish capital.
The incident occurred yesterday during flight IB579 bound for Paris Orly Airport (ORY/LFPO). The aircraft, registered EC-OOJ, sustained significant damage to the nose cone, along with possible damage to the weather radar and engine no. 1, according to preliminary reports.
This specific A321XLR was delivered to the airline in early July and was being used on short-haul routes for crew training, such as the Madrid–Paris segment.
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The jet will now undergo extensive and costly repairs before it can return to regular service. Iberia has not yet provided an estimate for when the aircraft will resume operations.
Despite the incident, no injuries were reported on board.
Source and images: Telegram @AviaCT. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
