Photo of a seagull colliding with a Eurofighter jet.

A military jet collides with a seagull during an airshow — causing the cockpit canopy to shatter.

Amazingly, the pilot escaped injury and managed to land the Eurofighter, valued at £73 million, without incident.

Photo of a seagull colliding with a Eurofighter jet.
The seagull can be seen to the right of the £73million Eurofighter as it flies above an airbase in SpainCredit: SWNS
Eurofighter cockpit smashed by a seagull.
The exact moment of impact is caught by the photographer, as a huge cloud of debris erupts from the fighter’s cockpit canopyCredit: SWNS
Eurofighter Typhoon with damaged canopy after colliding with a seagull.
Despite the huge hole in the canopy, the hero pilot managed to safely land the Eurofighter jetCredit: SWNS

A photographer snapped the moment of impact at the San Javier Air Base in Murcia, Spain, on June 15.

But snapper Javier Alonso de Medina Salguero said he realised what had happened only after checking his photos. 

They show the gull swooping into the path of the jet, before the bird is hit and smashes a giant hole in the canopy. 

A huge cloud of debris can then be seen exploding out from the pilot’s cockpit area

Javier added: “I was at the base in the San Javier area, at the site where they took us photographers.

“We were watching the Eurofighter display when we saw it leave without finishing.

“They reported over the radio it hit a seagull.

“I had the whole sequence.” 

Eurofighter Typhoon with damaged canopy after colliding with a seagull.
The gaping hole in the cockpit canopy is clear to see as the pilot attempts to land the fighterCredit: SWNS
Red Arrow forced to make emergency landing as bird strike smashes canopy mid display

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