Airport security: Donkey sighted at Cairo airport has been removed from the premises

A donkey spotted in Cairo airport on Monday evening entered the premises via the desert area between the airport and adjacent Sun City shopping mall, according to a statement by the airport police force's general directorate. 

“The donkey was chased out by the police and security personnel at the airport,” the statement read, adding that the donkey is believed to belong to one of the garbage collectors who frequents the area surrounding the airport. 

“It must have strayed from its owner and walked into the airport through one of the construction areas,” the statement suggested.

A video of the donkey at the airport was widely circulated on social media platforms, after it made an unexpected appearance at Arrivals Hall 3, which is commonly referred to as the "old airport." 

A source at the airport described the incident to privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm as an “unprecedented scandal,” that can only be an indication of “serious flaws in the performance of the Ministries of Interior and Civil Aviation.”

According to the anonymous source, it is not the first time this donkey has breached security surrounding the airport. The source criticized the leadership at the ministry for “dealing with the incident with sarcasm and nonchalance.” 

“They only started moving to address the situation after news of the donkey’s break-in was brought up on talk shows and news websites,” the source added. 

Another source at the Civil Aviation Ministry told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the donkey was escorted off the premises after it reached the parking area. He added that the ministry is coordinating with the police to ensure no other animals enter airport property in the future.