Irish police reported that the man entered an unauthorized, restricted area of Shannon Airport. Video footage on social media appeared to show him climbing onto a large military transport plane and striking a wing with an object, according to multiple reports. The alarm was raised at 9:45 AM after the man was seen in the restricted area.
A Shannon Airport spokeswoman said the airport suspended operations at approximately 9:50 AM and operations resumed at 10:15 AM. An Garda Siochana stated that an adult male, aged in his 40s, was arrested for alleged criminal damage by gardai shortly before 11 AM and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 in a Garda Station in the Clare Tipperary Division. The suspect can be held for a maximum of 24 hours, excluding breaks, multiple reports indicate.
The airport resumed normal operations after the incident, which required gardai assistance, according to the Shannon Airport spokeswoman. The exact nature and extent of the damage to the US military plane, as well as the specific object used to strike it, have not been confirmed. Authorities have not disclosed the identity, background, or motive of the arrested man, and potential security or diplomatic implications remain unclear.