Heraklion: vulture perches on aircraft wing

An unusual incident took place on the evening of Sunday 16 August 2026 at Heraklion’s «Nikos Kazantzakis» airport, when a vulture perched on the wing of an aircraft preparing for take-off and refused to move away. According to Cretalive, SKAI Kritis and iefimerida.gr, the pilot spotted the bird and informed the control tower, with the result that the departure procedure was suspended. Firefighters from the airport service rushed to the spot, approached with a special ladder and, using gloves and a piece of cloth to cover the animal, managed to restrain it without it being injured.

The vulture was first taken to the offices of the airport fire service and then to a safe location, under expert supervision. None of the three sources reports any injury to a person or damage to the aircraft, nor the length of the flight’s delay. The species of the bird has not been disclosed, nor whether it was a vulture carrying a tag from a monitoring programme. Immobilising an aircraft on the runway or in the parking area has a direct impact on the schedule of subsequent flights, especially at an airport operating close to the limits of its capacity. Procedures require that departure is not approved until every obstacle has been cleared.

Beyond the striking image, the incident touches on a real flight safety issue. Bird strikes with aircraft are a recognised hazard internationally and airports run wildlife management programmes, using acoustic deterrents, vegetation management around the perimeter and the removal of food sources. Crete is home to a significant population of griffon vultures, the largest vulture population in Greece by number, which ranges over wide distances in search of food and can approach man-made facilities. In Greece, wildlife management at airports is coordinated by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and the operator of each airport, with incidents recorded and analysed so that seasonal patterns can be identified.

The fact that the bird was dealt with without being injured matters, since the griffon vulture is protected under both national and European legislation. It has not been announced whether the animal was examined by a vet before being released or whether it was handed over to a wildlife rehabilitation centre. Heraklion International Airport handles the largest volume of passenger traffic in Crete, with the peak recorded in precisely these weeks of August. More from the city on the Heraklion page and from the island on the Crete page. The griffon vulture has a wingspan of more than two metres and is a scavenger, posing no danger to humans. Its population in Crete is monitored by environmental organisations and public services, as the species has declined dramatically in other parts of the country.