Paris Airport Shuts Two Runways As Dog Goes Missing After Escaping From Aircraft

Paris: Two runways at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport were closed on Tuesday as authorities attempted to capture a dog that had escaped from an aircraft a week earlier, officials said.  

A female dog escaped from its carrier last Tuesday during an unloading operation. Since then, an extensive search has been underway for the pet, which belongs to a Croatian tourist who traveled to France on an Air France flight from Vienna.

"The animal has been spotted and approached several times, but it has not been possible so far to capture it," Air France said.

Runways Shutdown As Dog Goes Escapes From Aircraft at Paris Airport 

The airport police had to deploy a search drone, which led to the closure of the runways.

According to airport officials, the plan is to get close enough to the dog to tranquilize it with a hypodermic needle. The operation was scheduled for the early afternoon, during off-peak hours, to minimize any disruption to scheduled flights.

Since the dog escaped, several search parties have been launched, including nighttime searches with the owner present. 

Air France is covering the owner's hotel costs at Charles-de-Gaulle.

Posters have been displayed to notify airport staff. Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, with its four runways, competes with Amsterdam's Schiphol for the title of the busiest airport in the European Union.