In a shocking incident, a snake was found lounging in the cargo hold of a Dubai-bound Air India Express aircraft after landing at its destination on Saturday, said a senior official. The civil aviation regulatory body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is already investigating the incident.
The passengers of the B737-800 aircraft, who were travelling from Calicut to Dubai, were safely deboarded.
The senior official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said a snake was found in the cargo hold of the plane on arrival at the Dubai airport and the airport fire services were also informed.
Speaking about the incident, he added that it was a handling lapse of ground staff. The incident shall be probed and suitable enforcement action shall be taken, the official said.
An Air India Express spokesperson could not be reached for comments. Details about the number of passengers could not be immediately ascertained.
This is not the first time that a reptile has been found on an aircraft. Earlier, a snake onboard a United flight sent passengers into a panic on Monday. The incident was reported onboard a flight from Florida's Tampa city to New Jersey.
Later, workers at the Newark Liberty International Airport caught the reptile. READ MORE
(With inputs from PTI)
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