A flight from India to New York recently had to divert its course when a live bat once made its way onto a plane. According to reports, the animal flew around the cabin of the aircraft in the middle of the flight, which obviously surprised all passengers.
WATCH: @airindiain flight AI-105 from Delhi to Newark returned midway on Thursday after the pilot reported the presence of a bat onboard to ATC.
Fumigation was carried out and a dead bat carcass was retrieved from seat 8DEF area. pic.twitter.com/haq9B4tzDB
— Asianet Newsable (@AsianetNewsEN) May 29, 2021
The incident occurred on an Air India flight from New Delhi to New York last week, according to the New York Post. Apparently, the bat was not noticed, about half an hour later, when he began to fly around the cabin.
Representatives of the airline decided to deploy the flight and return to New Delhi to deal with the situation with the bat. The flight from New Delhi to New York can last from 15 to 21 hours, depending on the route.
According to the New York Post, after landing the plane underwent a full fumigation and was met by wildlife officials. Upon completion of the process, the bat carcass was removed from the business class office.
Officials from the General Directorate of Civil Aviation reportedly issued a statement to news agencies stating: “Upon arrival, it became known that the crew members saw a bat inside the cockpit. Wildlife officers were called in to catch and pick up the bat. The plane landed safely around 3:55 a.m., and it was later announced that the plane was on the ground (AoG).
An Air India spokesman reportedly suggested that the bat could have boarded the plane while it was being loaded for onboard power. Apparently, it is not uncommon for animals to be attracted to food when it is loaded on a plane.