Lucky the Turtle survives runway ramble

BRISBANE, Australia, June 25 (UPI) -- A turtle that strayed onto the runway at an Australian airport got an appropriate nickname after a pilot taxiing after landing swerved around it -- Lucky.

The long-necked turtle was retrieved by safety officers at Gold Coast Airport and taken to a nearby stream Thursday, the Brisbane Times reported.

An airport spokeswoman said because the pilot had already touched down and slowed the plane he was able to avoid Lucky without putting passengers at risk. She said the airport is surrounded by open land and creeks, and turtles show up on the runway often, especially when there has been a heavy rain.

"This guy has done well, he's been moved back to a freshwater creek," she said. "He must have nine lives."

The airport is about 60 miles south of Brisbane on the border between Queensland and New South Wales.