TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A flight from Kinmen to Taipei was delayed for nearly an hour on Sunday (April 14) as ground crews struggled to drive away a swarm of bees.
Mandarin Airlines flight AE1272 was scheduled to depart from Kinmen with 70 passengers at 3:50 p.m., reported Liberty Times. However, a swarm of bees surrounded the aircraft and stung two passengers and two ground crew members, causing a 54-minute delay.
Airport staff assisted passengers who were stung. After applying medication, they were able to board the flight.
An airport fire truck was dispatched to the scene at 3:46 p.m. to spray the bees off the aircraft with a water hose. However, this only managed to scatter the bees into two to three swarms that remained on and around the plane, per ETtoday.
Airport staff then called in a pest control team to remove the bees using suction devices and repellants. The plane was finally cleared for takeoff at 4:44 p.m., but Apron No. 3 was not fully reopened for flights until 6 p.m.
Airport personnel carried out inspections and found no beehives in the main airport building. Bee removal experts said that this is the season when bees tend to swarm, as it is common for queen bees to lead their colonies out.
The swarm may have come from nearby forests, beekeepers close to the airport, or could be due to the nesting season. Witnesses said there were many bees visible on the aircraft fuselage and propellers.
