A pilot made an emergency landing during a flight in Australia, reportedly telling air traffic controllers “look, you’re not going to believe this. I’ve got snakes on a plane.”
Australia’s ABC News reported that Braden Blennerhassett, 26, swiftly put the Air Frontier plane on the ground after making the unusual mayday call during a flight from Darwin to the remote town of Peppimenarti Tuesday. Air Frontier offers charter and scenic flights throughout Australia’s northern territory.
“My blood pressure and heart rate was a bit elevated — it was an interesting experience,” Blennerhassett told Nine News. “As the plane was landing the snake was crawling down my leg, which was frightening.”
On the ground, a firefighter discovered that the snake that crawled down Blennerhassett’s leg was not alone — a green tree frog was also on the aircraft, Nine News reported. No other wildlife was found and both animals had disappeared by the time a wildlife ranger came for them.
Frog hunted?
It is thought the snake, believed to be a non-venomous green tree snake, may have been hunting the frog, Nine News said.
Geoffrey Hunt, director of Air Frontier, which owns the plane, clearly hadn’t seen the Hollywood film “Snakes on a Plane.”
“I have heard of crocodiles being loose in planes, but not snakes,” he told ABC News.
He added that the plane was grounded “until we find the snake,” expressing the hope that the aircraft would not have to be taken apart.
