There are many reasons for airport delays. Sometimes it's the weather, sometimes it's a technical problem, and other times it's a late passenger. Narita Airport in Japan found a new cause – a turtle going for a walk. Narita's runway closed for 12 minutes because a small turtle was on the tarmac. The pilot of an airplane waiting to take off saw the small reptile at around 11:35am. There was an immediate search for it. This caused the delay of five flights. Airport staff managed to locate the creature. They safely removed it with a net. They reported that it was unharmed.

An airport spokesperson said the turtle lived in a nearby pond. It got under the airport fence and crawled onto the runway. The turtle might have decided to sunbathe. It was warmer than usual at the airport for the time of the year. After the turtle was caught, an A380 airplane took off. By coincidence, it was painted in a turtle design. The plane was going to the island of Okinawa in the south of Japan. An airline spokesperson said: "Turtles are seen as bringing good luck. We hope this turtle, who came to see the flight off, signals a bright future."