Iraqi Airways has issued an apology after a bear escaped from a crate in the cargo hold of a flight from Baghdad to Dubai.
A video recorded by a passenger during the flight spread across social media platforms on Friday.
In the video, a male passenger can be heard explaining that their flight had experienced a delay of more than an hour due to an unexpected reason – a bear found in the cargo hold.
In a statement on its website, Iraqi Airways apologised for the incident, saying the bear was being transported "following all internationally approved procedures with this type of shipment, represented by allocating cages according to the terms of the Cites agreement for animal crate approved by IATA".
It went on to state that when the plane arrived at Dubai International Airport, "it was found that the animal had left the box designated for its transportation, which necessitated the flight crew to coordinate with the UAE authorities, who immediately sent a specialised team to anaesthetise the animal and transport it out of the plane".
Although the return flight was delayed, the statement clarified there was no damage or injuries sustained.
No further information was provided on the reasons why the bear was travelling on the plane or where it was going.
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the tenth session of the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum in Beijing on Thursday, stressing the need for Arab-Chinese cooperation, alongside international efforts, to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The UAE has called on the United Nations to act on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a meeting with the UN Security Council, where His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN said taking action has been "very late".
UAE leaders have paid their respects following the death of prominent Emirati Saeed bin Ahmed Al Otaiba, who served as President of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1971 and held various government roles during his life.
Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Envoy of the Foreign Minister to the European Union has called for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza during the latest Foreign Affairs Council session in Brussels.
Every weekday afternoon, Helen Farmer will help you to navigate the highs and lows of life in the UAE. Stay up to date with what’s happening and where to go.
The UAE’s alternative take on news, entertainment and sport. Join Chris, Robbie and Sonal as they cut through the clutter to bring you the news, entertainment and sport stories that actually matter.
Dubai Duty Free executive vice chairman and CEO, Colm McLoughlin, announced that he will be stepping down from his role after 55 years in the travel retail industry and 41 years of leadership at Dubai Duty Free. Colm joined the Business Breakfast to reflect on his epic career.
78% of AI users are now bringing their own AI tools to work, but what does this mean for employers? Zubin Chagpar, Senior Director and Business Group Leader, Modern Work and Surface Devices, Microsoft CEMA tells us more.