Eels shipment spills onto YVR tarmac

Vancouver is no stranger to marine life, but it’s not often that aquatic creatures are spotted on the tarmac of the region’s major airport.

Baggage handlers and ground crews at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) dealt with quite the surprise on Sunday, after a shipment of live eels spilled onto the apron surface while being unloaded from a flight.

“The live eels were collected and repackaged safely,” YVR told CityNews in an email Tuesday. The airport noted operations were not affected by the spill.

Video of the scene shared online shows a number of eels squirming on the ground, as others fall from the conveyer belt above from the box they were being transported in.


A screenshot of a video shared on social media of eels that spilled onto the apron at Vancouver International Airport on July 7, 2024.
A screenshot of a video shared on social media of eels that spilled onto the apron at Vancouver International Airport on July 7, 2024.

Some screams from bystanders can also be heard in the background as the eels fall.

Air Canada Cargo says in a statement to The Canadian Press that the shipment of eels was arriving from Toronto, adding the company is in contact with the customer about the incident.

With files from The Canadian Press

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