Shocks between airplanes and birds are not rare. In the United States, according to program data Bash (acronym in English of Impact danger with aircraft and wild birds) of the pentagon, there are an average of 5,600 a yearsome 15 a day. What is unusual is that an impact of this type is recorded in detail.
This is what the photographer achieved Javier Alonso de Medina Salguerowhich was present last June at the festival Air 25 held in San Javier (Murcia)where he captured an impressive sequence of images that show how the impact of a Sleek seagull against a hunt Eurofighter Typhoon Spanish.
In air 25 pay tribute to the Eagle patrol on his 40th anniversary and the king attended Felipe VI. The exhibition was interrupted by the accident, which forced the Eurofighter to return immediately to the San Javier Air Base.
The pilot turned out unscathedbut the cabin had suffered notable damage despite not being a large bird. The average weight of the gloomy seagull is just over 800 grams and the wing length moves Between 38 and 48 centimeters.
Although the incident took place June 15Medina Salguero did not publish the photos until a few days ago because “I haven’t had much time”. He did it on his Instagram account @air_spotter7200in which other samples of his work as a photographer can be seen.
The sequence of images captures the moment in which the seagull crosses with the Eurofighter, the clash against the right side of the cabin and how they are fired hundreds of feathers and remains of the poor bird. Subsequently, the Dome damagewhich forced the pilot to leave the exhibition.
Medina Salguero was not at first aware of the images he had captured in a burst, using a goal Nikon 200-500 mm.
“It surprised me a lot. We were watching the Eurofighter exhibition when we saw that I abandoned before finishing. On Radio they reported that I had collided with a seagull and the dome had broken. Just then I checked my photos and I saw the whole sequence”The War Zone has declared the environment. “I didn’t expect my photos to get to so many people”add on the virality of the images.
As infodefense.com then reported, the plane involved belongs to the Wing 11based on Morón de la Fronteraand after the clash a technical team of the Air Force He moved to the base to assess the damage.