A penguin is being blamed for causing a helicopter crash in South Africa, and social media users are joking about it in connection with recent U.S. tariffs.
According to a BBC report, the incident occurred on January 19 when a penguin, which was in an unsecured cardboard box, caused the crash. The box, placed on a passenger’s lap, slipped and hit the pilot’s controls shortly after takeoff.
Though the helicopter crashed to the ground, no one aboard, including the penguin, was injured. Investigators noted that the lack of proper containment for the penguin had created a “dangerous situation.” The report did not explain why the penguin was on the helicopter in the first place.
Despite the lack of details, social media users quickly made light of the situation, joking that the penguin was on a revenge mission following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose tariffs on two uninhabited islands near Antarctica, which are home to large penguin populations.
The incident sparked a flurry of online conspiracy theories, with people humorously suggesting that the penguin’s crash had something to do with the tariffs.
