Overview

• On July 27 at San Lorenzo Beach, an EF-18 Hornet executed an inverted roll and ultra-low pass that brought it within meters of sunbathers during the 19th Gijón Air Festival.
• Viral footage showed the jet emitting puffs of black smoke and descending in a hard-right roll before recovering altitude away from the crowded shoreline.
• The Air Force explained on X that the abrupt manoeuvre followed standard protocol to evade a flock of birds detected in the jet’s flight path.
• Officials praised the pilot’s split-second reaction for preventing a possible collision and underscored intensive training for handling sudden threats during public displays.
• Organizers, who draw about 250,000 attendees annually, have reaffirmed that stringent safety measures will guide all future aerial demonstrations.