Swarm of cicadas floor White Home press corps…
President Joe Biden, with a brood X cicada on his again, walks to board Air Pressure One upon departure, Wednesday, June 9, 2021, at Andrews Air Pressure Base, Md.
Alex Brandon | AP
A swarm of cicadas grounded a White Home constitution jetliner late Tuesday, delaying dozens of reporters set to travel to Europe forward of President Joe Biden‘s first abroad journey.
The chartered Delta Air Lines Airbus 330-300 was set to take off round 9 p.m. ET from Washington Dulles Worldwide Airport, earlier than the horde arrived, marking the most recent disruption from the billions of Brood X cicadas that emerged this yr after 17 years underground.
Delta stated that flight was delayed as a result of the auxiliary energy unit, or APU, which offers electrical energy to the cabin and different onboard techniques, turned inoperative.
“At issue was the presence of periodical cicadas within the APU, rendering it unworkable,” Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant stated in an announcement. “Delta teams dispatched a replacement Airbus A330 aircraft and crew to Washington-Dulles International Airport to operate the flight.”
That energy unit should be totally useful for transoceanic flight.
The brand new airplane left Dulles for Cornwall Airport Newquay within the U.Okay. round 3:30 a.m. ET, Delta stated.
“We apologize to our charter customers for this rarest of entomological delays, but still nothing is more important than safety,” Durrant stated.
Magicicada periodical cicadas, members of Brood X, cluster on a plant at Fairland Leisure Park June 01, 2021 in Burtonsville, Maryland.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Photos
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