Snake on Australian Flight Causes Major Delay
An Australian flight snake incident caused a two-hour delay on Tuesday after a stowaway green tree snake was found in the cargo hold of Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport. The plane was preparing to depart for Brisbane when the reptile was discovered, officials confirmed.
Snake Catcher Saves the Day
Snake catcher Mark Pelley, who was called to the scene, said he initially thought the 60-centimeter (2-foot) snake could be venomous because it was partly hidden in the dark cargo area.
“It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realized it wasn’t venomous,” Pelley said. “Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me.”
Australia is home to many of the world’s deadliest snakes, making the situation particularly tense.
Near Evacuation Averted
Pelley explained that if the snake had slithered deeper into the plane, the aircraft would have had to be evacuated to locate the reptile.
“I said to them if I don’t get this in one shot, it’s going to sneak through the panels and you’re going to have to evacuate the plane because at that stage I did not know what kind of snake it was,” he recounted.
Luckily, Pelley managed to capture the snake on his first attempt, preventing a major disruption.
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Delay and Investigation
Pelley said he took 30 minutes to drive to the airport and was further delayed by security checks before reaching the aircraft. An airline official confirmed that the Australian flight snake incident delayed the flight by approximately two hours.
How Did the Snake Get Onboard?
Because the green tree snake is native to Brisbane, Pelley believes it likely stowed away in a passenger’s luggage during the two-hour flight from Brisbane to Melbourne and escaped once the plane landed.
Snake’s Fate and Quarantine Rules
Due to strict quarantine laws, the snake cannot be released back into the wild.
The protected species has been handed over to a Melbourne veterinarian, who will find it a suitable home with a licensed snake keeper.
Aviation Safety First
This unusual Australian flight snake incident highlights the importance of vigilance in aviation security and animal control. Thanks to Pelley’s quick actions, a potentially dangerous and disruptive situation was resolved without harm to passengers or crew.
