NewsWorld newsPlanesNailbiting new footage shows two Embraer E190 and an Embraer E195 planes coming within just metres of the roof of Cape Town's DHL Stadium during a close flyover14:48, 30 Aug 2026Planes fly dangerously low over stadium in Cape TownTwin airliners participating in a flyover of a major stadium packed with tens of thousands of people were came within metres of the building's roof, shocking new footage shows.‌The two Airlink Embraer E-Jets soared over the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, ahead of a rugby game between the country and New Zealand's national teams on Saturday afternoon. Airlink, an official partner of the Rugby's Greatest Rivals series, marked the game by flying the 98-seater jets over the open arena's top.‌What was meant to be an electrifying spectacle ended up anxiety inducing as footage showed the planes coming extremely close to the the 55,000-capacity venue.‌Footage taken from the roof and posted online showed the Embraer E190 and an Embraer E195 jets zooming within what FlightRadar says was just between 41 and 46 feet (12 and 14 metres) of the stadium. As they came in close, colourful streamers were puffed into the air, which the massive aircraft were seen cutting through.During one especially alarming part of the manouevre as the jets moved off the other side of the stadium, the jet pitched upwards, pulling its tail even closer to the surface.‌The display was welcomed by Airlink, which afterwards praised what it said were "spectacular scenes". But social media users were less enthused, criticising the display for being "absolutely unnecessary and dangerous". One user on Reddit said: "Next level reckless. That is way too small of an envelope for error."Another questioned: "Is this like impressively stupid or calculated?" Airlink said in a statement following massive backlash that it "notes the concerns", but pushed back, saying it was a "safe flyby" that followed careful planning.‌A spokesperson for the airline said: "Airlink notes the concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday’s formation flyby over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium."The flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required navigating at low altitude, at around 150 knots. The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services provided valuable guidance, approval and support to ensure a safe flyby."Article continues below"The two aircraft were flown by highly-experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer."The spokesperson added that flight data showed the flyover was performed within the safe altitude set by the SACAA. They said: "The flight data recorded by both aircraft confirms that the flights were performed within the SACAA’s approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌South AfricaPlanesNew Zealand Rugby UnionSouth Africa rugby union team