Bear escapes from cargo container during Iraqi Airways flight

On August 4 morning, Iraqi Airways flight 123 between Baghdad International Airport (BGW) and Dubai International Airport (DXB), operated by a Boeing 737-800, had some special cargo onboard. Upon the aircraft's arrival in Dubai, it was revealed that the bear had escaped its shipping crate.

This led the Iraqi Airways flight crew to coordinate with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to sedate the bear and extract it from the aircraft with the assistance of a specialized team dispatched by the UAE authorities, Simply Flying reports.

On August 5, a video posted to YouTube taken by a ground crew staff circulated on social media. In the clip, the bear can be seen roaming around the cargo hold of the Iraqi Airways 737. The bear even comes up to one of the staff members as they rub the bear's head.

In an apology posted to its Facebook page, Iraqi Airways stated: "The administration of the company apologizes to the dear travellers of the flight from Baghdad International Airport to Dubai Airport... for reasons beyond the control of the company, regarding a shipment in the cargo hold (a bear)."

Further delays

The unexpected turn of events led to the postponement of a subsequent return flight from Dubai to Baghdad. Iraqi Airways flight 124 between Dubai and Baghdad was delayed three hours and thirty minutes, departing at 17:45 and arriving at 18:50.

In an official statement published on its website, Iraqi Airways expressed regret for the situation, accrediting the delay to circumstances beyond their control.

The airlines said the bear was being transported in accordance with the international convention governing the trade of endangered species (CITES) and the International Air Transportation Agency (IATA).

With that said, the statement did not reveal the purpose of the bear's journey to the UAE, as the airline refrained from providing further details surrounding the animal's well-being or the specific circumstances surrounding the incident. The statement went on to say that the bear's escape from the container did not result in any damage or injuries.

This is not the first time the airline's reputation has taken a hit, as Iraqi Airways has a poor reputation plagued by scandals. In 2020, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) suspended a pilot after he allowed a female model to enter the cockpit mid-flight. Then in July 2018, two Iraqi pilots fought over dinner while flying a Boeing 737 with 160 passengers on board.