- Illustrative photo.
TOKYO: (Bernama-Xinhua) A bear was spotted twice on Thursday (June 26) at Yamagata Airport in northeastern Japan, prompting the closure of its runway and flight cancellations, Xinhua reported, citing local media.
An employee at the airport in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, first spotted the black bear, which was about 1.2 metres tall, near the runway at around 7am local time, forcing its closure for about 30 minutes, Kyodo News reported.
The initial sighting led to delays of up to an hour for four scheduled flights, the report said.
The runway was reopened but closed again at 11.55am local time, shortly after the animal was spotted for a second time, this time on the premises and the runway itself. The second closure led to the cancellation of 12 flights.
There were no reports of injuries, with the bear still at large somewhere in the facility, the report said.
The prefectural police and local hunting associations are considering capturing the animal, while urging residents in the area to be careful. - Bernama-Xinhua
