A New Zealand television reporter found herself in the middle of an unexpected on-air mishap when a rogue seagull crashed into her face during a news report, leaving her injured but determined to finish the job.
Jess Tyson, a host on Whakaata Māori’s Te Ao with Moana, was filming a segment last month about the growing impact of fast fashion in New Zealand when the incident occurred. As she concentrated on delivering her lines, a seagull suddenly flew in from out of frame and struck her directly in the face.
The collision resulted in a cut above her left eye, with blood running down her cheek. Despite the shock, Tyson later shared that the bird appeared unharmed and quickly returned to nearby seagulls.
Tyson posted the viral clip on Facebook, explaining that the seagull’s beak or claws likely caused the injury, narrowly missing her eye. She said she rushed to a nearby office building in downtown Auckland to clean up before continuing the shoot.
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Speaking later on NBC’s Today show, Tyson said she had been so focused on her performance that the impact completely caught her off guard. She described the hit as feeling like a heavy pillow slamming into her face, followed almost immediately by bleeding.
After addressing the injury, Tyson chose to resume filming. She explained that she wasn’t satisfied with her initial takes and wanted to continue despite the mishap.
Tyson said she has since recovered and is doing well, though the incident left her with a small scar.
“I’m fine now and have a small scar as proof — and a pretty hilarious story to go with it,” she said.