(Scypre.com) – During a flight from Bangkok to Taiwan, an unexpected situation unfolded when a passenger had managed to sneak a rat and an otter on board the plane.
A passenger recounted the incident, saying, “Initially, I was puzzled. The person clarified, ‘It’s my pet rat, an albino one, and not exactly small.'”
On a Wednesday flight operated by VietJet Air, panic broke out as flight attendants noticed an albino rat and a nearly 1-foot-long otter roaming the main cabin.
Following the flight’s landing in Taipei, a subsequent police inspection uncovered a box containing 28 live turtles, a snake, a marmot, two otters, and two unidentified rodents among the luggage. The focus of the police investigation shifted to a female passenger suspected of smuggling the animals through security at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand. The woman could face a penalty of up to $31,000 under the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases statute.
A passenger explained, “I informed the cabin crew, and they conducted a search of the plane. That’s when they discovered the large otter under one of the seats.” The passenger added, “They continued searching for the white rat, and an employee managed to catch it. Unfortunately, it bit them on the hand during its capture, as they were taking it to the rear kitchen area.”
The cabin crew promptly requested the individual who had brought the animals onto the plane to come forward. Although the culprit initially remained silent, they eventually confessed and demanded a refund after the crew initiated an investigation.
It appears that the woman may have purchased the animals from a Thai market and was attempting to bring them home after her visit.
The live turtles were placed under quarantine, while the other animals were handed over to Pingtung University of Science and Technology for examination and confirmation before the authorities decide on their disposal.
VietJet Air, the largest privately-owned airline in Vietnam, was the carrier for this unusual flight, highlighting the unexpected events that transpired during the journey.