Overview

• Flight IB579’s brand-new Airbus A321XLR struck a large bird shortly after departure from Madrid, damaging its nose radome and one engine below 7,000 feet.
• The pilots declared an emergency and landed safely on runway 32L at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport with no injuries reported among 182 people onboard.
• Smoke entered the cabin and oxygen masks deployed, causing panic as passengers recorded the harrowing moments on video.
• Iberia rerouted travelers on a replacement A320neo, which reached Paris–Orly almost four hours behind schedule; the damaged A321XLR remains grounded for repairs.
• The incident underscores aviation’s vulnerability to bird strikes and the importance of rigorous wildlife-control measures and mandatory safety inspections.