A small black bear created chaos at Yamagata airport in Japan, prompting a low-speed chase by airport personnel and resulting in the cancellation of twelve flights. The bear appeared near the runway, forcing officials to shut down operations temporarily. After initial attempts to capture the bear, which reportedly has not yet been caught, airport operations resumed later that evening. The incident highlights a growing trend of bear sightings in Japan, raising concerns about wildlife encounters near populated areas and airports.
"Given the situation there is no way we can host plane arrivals now," Nagai told AFP that day.
"We're in a stalemate now," Nagai said at the time, noting that the airport would remain closed until 8 p.m. as they assessed the situation.
Twelve flights were canceled Thursday as airport employees chased the bear around the runway, Yamagata airport official Akira Nagai told Agence France-Presse.
The bear, about four feet tall, reemerged around noon to cause a level of havoc three times its size.
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