Bear Out Of His Cage In Airplane Cargo: Flight Postponed, Prime Minister Orders Investigation

Illustration of the Iraqii Airways fleet. (Wikimedia Commons/Colin Cooke Photo)

JAKARTA - A bear transported on an Iraqii Airways flight from Baghdad to Dubai, United Arab Emirates last Friday, caused flight delays after leaving the cage in the aircraft cargo.

Iraqi Airways issued an apology after a video circulating online showed a male passenger saying the flight back to Baghdad was delayed for "more than an hour because the bear was in cargo."

In another video, a bear cub is seen roaming outside its cage on the plane, while people are stroking and trying to cheer it up.

The bear was stolen by a specialist team in Dubai and taken off the plane, the Iraqii Airways said in a statement shared with CNN, as quoted August 10.

The airline issued an apology a day later, saying the bear was out of the cage "Arriving at Dubai Airport."

"The company apologizes to passengers on flights from Baghdad International Airport to Dubai Airport for reasons beyond the company's control," he said.

"The delay occurred due to a shipment in the cargo room," the statement added.

"Arriving at Dubai Airport, the animal left the cage it was made for its delivery," the airline said, adding the animal was transported according to international animal welfare guidelines.

"The crew coordinated with the UAE authorities who sent a special team to drug the animal and take it out of the plane. After inspection and confirming no damage from this incident, the flight returned to Baghdad," the statement added.

The airline did not reveal why the bear was transported to the United Arab Emirates, or provided any information about its health after being absorbed and removed from the plane.

On Monday, the Iraqi Transport Ministry told CNN there were actually two bears on board.

"Two endangered small bears were sent from Baghdad, and when the flight arrived in Dubai, one of the bears damaged its cage, forcing health and environmental authorities at Dubai airport to anesthetize it," the statement said.

Separately, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered the country's Ministry of Transport to open an investigation into the bear's escape, the Prime Minister's Office said on Sunday.