An Iberia Airbus A321-253NY (XLR), operating flight #IB579 to Paris Orly Airport, safely returned to Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD) after a bird strike caused significant damage to its nose cone. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff at approximately 10:00 AM local time on Sunday, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and initiate a return to the airport.
The aircraft, registered as EC-OOJ, had just taken off when it collided with a large bird, later identified as likely a vulture, which severely damaged the radome housing the radar.
Air traffic controllers were alerted to a possible fire indication in one of the engines, leading to a coordinated emergency response. The plane landed safely on runway 32L, and no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. The aircraft vacated the runway without further incident, though it remains grounded for repairs due to the extent of the damage try.
