A pilot had to make an emergency landing – Corriere.it

“He listens, There is a snake inside the plane, under my seat, so let’s try to get off the ground as quickly as possible. Surreal to say the least, what the four passengers on a private direct flight from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, in South Africa. to issue it Rudolf Erasmus, in command of the infiltrated Beechcraft Baron 58 making the emergency landing more urgent than ever. In fact, it was only a file South African cobra (Nivea survived), among the most aggressive and venomous species on the entire continent.

Uninvited guest

I warned one Strange feeling of coldAs if something crawled into my shirt. narrated man in BBC -. When you turn left and look down, I saw the cobra sticking its head under the seat». Indeed, a screenplay worthy of Snakes on a Plane, a 2006 suspense thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson. On the other hand, a single bite from a South African cobra can be an injection Between 100 and 150 milligrams of venom (compared to a lethal dose of only 20), causing death after only a few hours from respiratory failure. It is no coincidence that it is estimated It is responsible for at least half of the deaths caused by snakes in the country each year.

final yellow

Fortunately, unlike the movie, the episode did not lead to serious consequences. In fact, after arriving at Welcome Airport, All occupants of the flight left the car unharmed. However, there is still an aura of mystery to provide more suspense to the incident, such as There was no trace of the sample: It is possible that after landing he slipped out of the cabin furtively as he used to enter. If you are not sure But the four passengers preferred to continue the journey by other means. “They also kept calm,” said Erasmus. And this undoubtedly contributed to the positive outcome of the case.

Several precedents

“It could have been a disaster – I have announced on News 24 Director of Civil Aviation in South Africa Poppy Xhosa -. It is an incredible story of the excellent handling of the situation by the pilot: I congratulate him on the skill he has shown.” Equally incredible however is existence Various precedents. Just this past October, for example, a (harmless) garter snake was discovered inside a United Airlines flight from Tampa to Newark, USA. United State. in 2016 And in 2017, similar discoveries were made at high altitudes in Mexico and in Alaska. Without a ticket, it’s hard to get away. Even for reptiles.