4K Views 3 years ago

Rat and Otter on the Loose During Flight from Bangkok to Taiwan

A flight from Bangkok to Taiwan turned into a scene straight out of an adventure movie when a rat and an otter were discovered on board mid-flight, causing chaos among passengers and crew.

Source: New York Post/YouTube

On a seemingly routine Wednesday flight aboard VietJet Air, a low-cost airline, passengers were taken by surprise when they spotted an albino rat and a nearly one-foot-long otter scurrying around the main cabin of the aircraft. Panic ensued as air hostesses struggled to contain the situation.

The commotion didn’t stop there. Passengers and cabin crew soon realized that the rat and otter were not the only stowaways on this unusual flight. A subsequent police search upon landing in Taipei revealed an astonishing menagerie of smuggled animals in the luggage, including 28 live turtles, a snake, one marmot, two otters, and two other rodents of unknown species. This revelation only added to the intrigue of the entire incident.

The focus of the investigation immediately shifted to a female passenger who was believed to have smuggled these creatures through security at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand. This act could cost her dearly, as she now faces penalties of up to $31,000 under the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases statute.

As the rat bit an employee’s hand while being caught and the otter created chaos on the plane, the situation had to be resolved swiftly. The cabin crew immediately ordered anyone who had brought the animals on board to come forward. The discovery of the smuggled animals prompted further action.

Despite the chaos unfolding on the plane, the mystery passenger initially remained silent. It was only when the cabin crew began investigating and questioning passengers that she came forward, demanded a refund, and admitted to being the “owner” of the escaped animals. Her motives for smuggling the creatures remain unclear, but it is speculated that she may have purchased them in a Thai market and intended to bring them home after her visit.

The turtles found in the luggage will remain in quarantine, while the other animals, including the rat, otter, marmot, and other rodents, will be sent to Pingtung University of Science and Technology for examination and confirmation of their species. The authorities will then decide on the appropriate course of action for these animals.