In an extraordinary incident reminiscent of the movie Snakes on a Plane, South African pilot Rudolf Erasmus faced a venomous Cape cobra in the cockpit while flying at 11,000 feet. Despite the hazardous situation, Erasmus maintained his composure and safely executed an emergency landing, with no snake bites reported.
Erasmus told The New York Times that there was no panic or hysteria on board when he announced the presence of the "uninvited guest." The pilot initially thought the cool sensation under his shirt was due to a water-bottle leak but soon discovered the snake's head under his feet.
Before departing from the Western Cape, airport workers had informed Erasmus that a Cape cobra had been seen entering the plane's engine. The Cape cobra is one of the most dangerous snakes in South Africa, responsible for many snakebite fatalities in the southern region of the continent, according to the African Snakebite Institute. However, since the snake could not be found, it was assumed that it had left.
Erasmus carried out a swift plan to land at the nearest airport, located 10 to 15 minutes away. He was the last to leave the plane and saw the snake curled up under his seat. A snake handler arrived to remove the cobra, but the elusive creature could not be found even after two days of searching.
Erasmus later flew the same Beechcraft Baron 58 aircraft, taking precautions to cover as many holes as possible in case the snake was still hidden. The flight proceeded smoothly, and Erasmus plans to continue flying the plane, hoping that the Cape cobra has had enough of its aviation adventures.