Chinese plane forced to make emergency landing after rat found in cabin

The rar was found shortly after the Loong Air flight left the eastern city of Hangzhou for the south-western city of Xishuangbanna

BEIJING // A rat found scuttling around the cabin forced a Chinese airliner to return to an airport shortly after take-off on Friday morning.

The rodent was found shortly after the Loong Air flight left the eastern city of Hangzhou for the south-western city of Xishuangbanna, the airline said on Weibo.

It was not clear how the rat gained access inside the plane, although the official Xinhua News Agency said it was not brought on board as a pet and may have arrived with the meal service. Along with worrying passengers, rats can damage a plane’s electrical and other systems.

“Considering the threat to passenger health posed by the rat and the possibility of endangering flight safety by biting through wires, the captain flew back to port in the best interests of public health and safety,” the airline said.

Loong Air said the plane was fumigated and disinfected after landing. No word was given on the fate of the rat.

* Associated Press