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A man was detained Saturday at Shannon Airport in Ireland after allegedly climbing onto the wing of a U.S. military aircraft and attacking it with a hatchet, according to local reports.
Irish police, or Gardaí, said a man in his 40s entered an unauthorized area of the airport in County Clare and was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. on suspicion of criminal damage. Investigations are ongoing, Gardaí said.
The aircraft involved was a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane that had been parked on a remote taxiway, Irish news outlet The Journal reported.
Video circulating online appeared to show a man in dark clothing walking along the wing of the aircraft during the incident. He can be seen moving across the wing near the engines and fuselage.
JORDANIAN NATIONAL ARRESTED AFTER BOARDING FLIGHT IN ARIZONA WITH INVALID TICKET, PROMPTING EVACUATION
A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft is seen on the ground at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, on March 18, 2026. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
The breach raises renewed concerns about security at Shannon Airport, which has experienced multiple recent incidents involving unauthorized access to restricted areas.
A spokesperson for Shannon Airport said the airport temporarily shut down operations following the breach.
“The airport suspended operations at approximately 9:50 a.m. and operations resumed at 10:15 a.m.,” the spokesperson said.
JORDANIAN NATIONAL ARRESTED AFTER BOARDING FLIGHT IN ARIZONA WITH INVALID TICKET, PROMPTING EVACUATION
The brief closure caused minor disruption, with two departing flights delayed and one incoming aircraft placed in a holding pattern before landing shortly after 10:20 a.m., The Journal reported.
Authorities including airport police, Gardaí and Irish Defence Forces personnel responded to the scene, The Journal reported. Armed officers and specialist units were also deployed.
Officials carried out a search of the airport perimeter to determine how the suspect gained access to the restricted area.
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A U.S. Air Force transport aircraft sits on the runway at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland, during a security operation for the arrival of then-President Donald Trump. (Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)
According to The Journal, the incident is the latest in a string of recent security breaches at Shannon Airport.
In November, three people were arrested after a van breached airport security and entered a restricted area. In May last year, another vehicle crashed through a perimeter fence, forcing a temporary shutdown. Weeks later, three women were arrested after allegedly accessing the airfield and damaging an aircraft.
Authorities have not said whether Saturday’s incident is linked to those prior breaches.
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File photo of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arriving at Shannon Airport in Ireland aboard Air Force One. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Shannon Airport has been the site of frequent anti-war protests for years over its use by the U.S. military, dating back to the Iraq War era.
Digital reached out to U.S. Air Forces in Europe for comment.
