A video has been shared online of a pilot covered in blood after a bird crashed through the windshield of the aircraft he was flying.
The gruesome footage showed the large bird, with the lower part of its body dangling down into the cockpit as strong winds rustle by.
The man in the video appears to be dressed as a fighter pilot but is flying a Thrush 510P, an aircraft used for crop spraying.
The pilot is believed to be Captain Ariel Valiente from Ecuador in South America.
At one point during the footage he turns the camera on himself and reveals his face with blood running down it.
It is not immediately clear whether the blood belongs to Captain Valiente or the bird.
It is thought the bird is an Andean Condor, which has a wingspan over three meters.
It is understood that the video was taken in Vinces, Los Ríos Province.
Reports have said that despite the ordeal the pilot landed the plane safely and was uninjured, but the poor bird died in the incident.
Warning: Some readers may find the following video distressing
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that many pilots are not aware that a collision with a soft-feathered bird can lead to serious damage.
The EASA advises that if the “windshield is broken, torn or has been penetrated, the airspeed should be reduced in order to minimize the pressure on the windshield.”
