Low Flight Maneuver Over Cape Town Stadium Sparks Safety Debate

Two passenger jets from the airline Airlink performed a low altitude flyover above a full stadium in Cape Town during an international rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand. According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, one of the aircraft flew approximately 15 meters above the roof of the DHL Stadium. The event took place before a crowd of between 55,000 and 60,000 spectators while organizers released colorful smoke flares into the air.

Airlink stated that the maneuver was carefully planned with aviation authorities and executed by experienced crews of three pilots each. The airline maintained that the flights adhered to approved safety height and speed limits. South African Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie also defended the action, calling it spectacular and praising the skill of the pilots.

Public and media reactions to the event varied. Social media users described the maneuver as reckless, unnecessary, and frightening. While a center right source framed the event as a spectacular display that caused criticism, a center left source framed the action as a risky maneuver with a tiny safety margin that caused international concern.