Man arrested over alleged damage to US military plane at Shannon Airport

A man has been arrested over alleged criminal damage of a US military plane at an Irish airport.

Police said a man entered the "unauthorised area of Shannon Airport" in County Clare on Saturday morning.

Footage posted on social media appeared to show a man climbing onto a US Air Force C-130 Hercules transporter plane and striking the wing with an object.

A spokeswoman for Shannon Airport said operations resumed after being suspended for around 20 minutes following the incident.

Ireland's police and security service An Garda Siochana said in a statement: "An adult male, aged in his 40s, was arrested for alleged criminal damage by gardai shortly before 11am."

He "is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 in a Garda Station in the Clare Tipperary Division", it added.

The man can be detained for up to 24 hours, excluding breaks.

(c) Sky News 2026: Man arrested over alleged damage to US military plane at Shannon Airport