TOKYO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A dog caused mayhem at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Monday after escaping before being loaded onto a plane and running off toward runways, causing disruption to numerous flights, the transport ministry said.
According to the ministry, a large poodle was placed in a special container for transportation from Tokyo to Naha in Okinawa Prefecture, but escaped from the basket and Japan Airlines' staff before it could be loaded onto the plane.
The incident occurred at 8:50 a.m. local time, the ministry said, with the mayhem leading to four runways at the busy international airport being shut down twice for around six minutes while the dog was being pursued.
A total of 14 flights were disrupted by the escaped dog, which ran free for around 40 minutes before finally being captured.
JAL has launched an inquiry into the incident and will probe its loading protocols, the carrier said.
