Man attacks US military aircraft with axe, causing damage in Ireland

A man climbed onto a parked US military aircraft at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Saturday and damaged the fuselage and wing with an axe.

According to Irish media, the C-130 Hercules military transport plane departed from the US state of Kansas, stopped in Canada, and landed at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Friday.

The suspect breached the airport’s perimeter fence, entered the area where the aircraft was parked, climbed onto it, and struck it with an axe.

The incident caused airport operations to pause for about 30 minutes before armed police intervened.

Irish police (Garda) said the suspect is a man in his 40s and is in custody, with an investigation ongoing.

Authorities confirmed the aircraft sustained damage, which airport officials described as significant.

US military aircraft at Shannon Airport have been targeted in three separate incidents since last May.