A real-life horror reminiscent of the 2006 film 'Snakes on a Plane' unfolded when a venomous serpent escaped on a packed TUI flight from Mexico to the United Kingdom. The mock viper, described as mildly venomous, slithered through the cabin while all 345 passengers remained completely unaware of the danger.
Discovery After Landing
The snake was discovered by a cleaner moments after the aircraft touched down at Gatwick Airport on Friday, June 5. An airport employee managed to capture a photo of the reddish-brown reptile before it vanished. It is suspected that the snake was smuggled aboard the plane at Cancun, Mexico.
Technicians and wildlife specialists have been attempting to locate the snake on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which has been withdrawn from service. However, the reptile remains elusive, prompting a thorough search of the aircraft.
Passengers Unaware of Danger
A source speaking to the Sun expressed disbelief that a passenger brought the mock viper on board. The source noted that the snake could potentially damage the plane's mechanics. The sight of the snake gave the airline cleaners a heart attack, but by the time they raised the alarm, the animal had disappeared. There was no way the airliner could be allowed to take off again, as seeing the snake at 30,000 feet would have caused blind panic and pandemonium.
The episode mirrors the 2006 thriller 'Snakes on a Plane,' where an FBI agent must take control of a passenger jet after a criminal unleashes poisonous serpents during a flight.
Search Like 'Needle in a Haystack'
Insiders at TUI have likened the search for the snake to trying to find a needle in a haystack. The incident comes after two men allegedly snuck thousands of ants onto a plane while travelling between Nairobi, Kenya, and China.
A Chinese man and a Kenyan man were arrested in Nairobi after aviation authorities found the insects stashed in their luggage. The ants were hidden in test tubes and wrapped in tissue, bound for China, where collectors pay high prices for them as pets. Chinese national Zhang Kegun bought the ants from Charles Mwangi for around £1,200 but planned to sell them for a much higher price.
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