The Danish Air Force said Thursday it
paid about $5,000 in compensation to a part-time Santa Claus whose reindeer died
of heart failure when two fighter jets roared over his farm.

    The animal, named Rudolf, was grazing
at the farm of Olavi Nikkanoff in central Denmark when the screaming F-16 jets
passed overhead at low altitude in February.

    The reindeer collapsed and died,
leaving Nikkanoff with the prospect of only one animal pulling his sleigh next
Christmas.

    He complained to the air force, which
agreed to compensate him for the cost of the reindeer and veterinary expenses.

    "We got a letter from Santa
complaining about his reindeer's death and looked into it seriously," air
force spokesman Capt. Morten Jensen said. The air force checked flight data and
veterinary reports and concluded the planes had caused the animal's death.

    Nikkanoff said he would use the money
to buy a new reindeer before Christmas.

    丹麦空军9月29日表示，由于两架战斗机数月前在呼啸飞过该国一位兼职圣诞老人的农场时，导致刚好待在那里的1头驯鹿突发心力衰竭而死亡，所以，他们将向此人支付一笔数额约为5000美元的赔偿金。

    据美联社9月29日报道，今年2月的某一天，当两架F-16战斗机带着巨大的轰鸣声低空掠过奥拉维·尼卡诺夫拥有的农场时，1头名叫鲁道夫的驯鹿正在那里低头吃草。驯鹿听到轰鸣声后猝然倒地并于不久后死亡。尼卡诺夫表示，由于今年圣诞来临时只有一头驯鹿为他拉雪橇，因此他向丹麦空军投诉了此事。丹麦空军最终同意为他失去驯鹿和请兽医所花的费用做出赔偿。

    丹麦空军发言人莫腾·延森上尉表示："我们收到了这位圣诞老人的来信，他在信中诉说了其驯鹿死亡的经过，我们也对此事进行了细致的调查。"空军查阅了飞行记录及兽医报告，最后得出结论，承认战斗机是导致驯鹿死亡的原因。事后尼卡诺夫说，他将在今年圣诞节到来前用这笔赔款买1头新的驯鹿。

    （张咏）