Plane Made to Return to Airport After Horse Breaks Free from Crate

A Boeing 747 cargo plane had to turn back during a flight from New York to Belgium after a horse managed to escape from its stall. The incident occurred at an altitude of 30,000ft (9,144m) and forced the pilot to request a U-turn. The pilot informed air traffic control that the horse was loose and couldn't be restrained. The plane had to dump 20 tonnes of fuel to reduce its weight for landing at John F Kennedy International Airport. Upon landing, it was discovered that the horse had not been secured inside the plane. The pilot requested a veterinarian to meet the aircraft when it landed. The flight eventually took off again and arrived at Liege Airport the following morning. The reason for transporting the horse and how it managed to escape are still unknown. Similar incidents have occurred before, including one involving a bear escaping from a crate on an Iraqi Airways flight. Air Atlanta Icelandic, the airline involved, has not responded to media inquiries.