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SYDNEY (Reuters) - Passengers on a flight from Australia to Papua New Guinea were shocked to look out their cabin windows to find a huge snake on the wing of the plane.
The three metre-long (9.1 foot) non-poisonous Amethystine python appeared about an hour into the Qantas flight between Cairns in northern Queensland and the Papua New Guinean capital of Port Moresby on Thursday.
"Halfway to Papua New Guinea passengers reported seeing a snake clinging to the wing," a Qantas spokesman said of the snake, which is also known as a scrub python and can grow to as much as 8.5 metres (28 ft) long.
A crew member told Australian media that the initial reaction when the python's presence was first reported was "you've got to be kidding".
The slithery stowaway was believed to have crawled onto the plane from scrubland or mangroves that surround the airport in tropical Cairns.
Qantas said there was no impact on the safe operation of the aircraft due to the snake's presence. The Bombardier Q400 was cleared to resume flying after it landed in Port Moresby.
The snake, unfortunately, was found dead on arrival.
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Snake on a plane: Python trapped under wing of Qantas plane as video captures life-and-death struggle
A three-metre scrub python was trapped under the wing of a Qantas plane during mid-flight, and the life-and-death struggle was caught on camera.
The snake held on for the one hour and 50-minute flight between the Australian town of Cairns and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea Thursday.
The snake was seen by passengers while the aircraft was cruising, Qantas spokesperson Thomas Woodward told the Star.
The most likely scenario is that the snake had taken refuge on the exterior of the aircraft overnight.
Passengers became aware of the snake about 10 minutes after takeoff. A woman found a head pop up, and the cabin crew came out to have a look.
The python appeared to fight against the stiff wind as it tried to tuck itself under the wing for cover, but much of its body was exposed.
Rhyming coverage of the weeks odd animal stories
The wind speed was 400 km/h and the temperature was minus-12C during the flight.
When the plane touched down, the snake was still clinging to the wing, but it was dead.
On arrival the snake carcass was handed to local authorities and the aircraft was inspected by engineers before being cleared to fly, Woodward said.
One passenger, Robert Weber, a website designer in Cairns who videotaped the struggle, told the Sydney Morning Herald that there was no panic.
At no time did anyone stop to consider that there might be others on board.
Scrub pythons feed on rodents and often conceal themselves to ambush their prey.
Qantas spokesperson Woodward said there was no effect on the operation of the aircraft and the captain made the right decision in continuing to Port Moresby.
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Small warning for the squeamish and snake-fans in the audience: Snake dies. Don't watch video if that bothers you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qh6ugd12VHo
Also, in somewhat happier related animal news:
Dog shaved like lion sets off panic, 911 calls in Virginia
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/a...ike-lion-sets-off-panic-911-calls-in-virginia
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Passengers on a flight from Australia to Papua New Guinea were shocked to look out their cabin windows to find a huge snake on the wing of the plane.
The three metre-long (9.1 foot) non-poisonous Amethystine python appeared about an hour into the Qantas flight between Cairns in northern Queensland and the Papua New Guinean capital of Port Moresby on Thursday.
"Halfway to Papua New Guinea passengers reported seeing a snake clinging to the wing," a Qantas spokesman said of the snake, which is also known as a scrub python and can grow to as much as 8.5 metres (28 ft) long.
A crew member told Australian media that the initial reaction when the python's presence was first reported was "you've got to be kidding".
The slithery stowaway was believed to have crawled onto the plane from scrubland or mangroves that surround the airport in tropical Cairns.
Qantas said there was no impact on the safe operation of the aircraft due to the snake's presence. The Bombardier Q400 was cleared to resume flying after it landed in Port Moresby.
The snake, unfortunately, was found dead on arrival.
---
Snake on a plane: Python trapped under wing of Qantas plane as video captures life-and-death struggle
A three-metre scrub python was trapped under the wing of a Qantas plane during mid-flight, and the life-and-death struggle was caught on camera.
The snake held on for the one hour and 50-minute flight between the Australian town of Cairns and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea Thursday.
The snake was seen by passengers while the aircraft was cruising, Qantas spokesperson Thomas Woodward told the Star.
The most likely scenario is that the snake had taken refuge on the exterior of the aircraft overnight.
Passengers became aware of the snake about 10 minutes after takeoff. A woman found a head pop up, and the cabin crew came out to have a look.
The python appeared to fight against the stiff wind as it tried to tuck itself under the wing for cover, but much of its body was exposed.
Rhyming coverage of the weeks odd animal stories
The wind speed was 400 km/h and the temperature was minus-12C during the flight.
When the plane touched down, the snake was still clinging to the wing, but it was dead.
On arrival the snake carcass was handed to local authorities and the aircraft was inspected by engineers before being cleared to fly, Woodward said.
One passenger, Robert Weber, a website designer in Cairns who videotaped the struggle, told the Sydney Morning Herald that there was no panic.
At no time did anyone stop to consider that there might be others on board.
Scrub pythons feed on rodents and often conceal themselves to ambush their prey.
Qantas spokesperson Woodward said there was no effect on the operation of the aircraft and the captain made the right decision in continuing to Port Moresby.
---
Small warning for the squeamish and snake-fans in the audience: Snake dies. Don't watch video if that bothers you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qh6ugd12VHo
Also, in somewhat happier related animal news:
Dog shaved like lion sets off panic, 911 calls in Virginia
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/a...ike-lion-sets-off-panic-911-calls-in-virginia
