South Africa: Pilot Praised For Safely Landing Plane With Cobra In Cockpit
Authorities in South Africa are applauding a pilot’s ability and courage to manage an undoubtedly scary inflight situation. The pilot, 30-year-old Rudolf Erasmus, safely landed an aircraft after discovering a venomous snake that was a stowaway onboard.
Last week, Erasmus flew with four passengers from Bloemfontein to Tshwane, South Africa. He was unaware of the snake until he reportedly felt something cold underneath his shirt near his hip.
Erasmus, along with his colleagues, was flying on a multi-leg trip, according to CNN. Before departure, the pilot said he recalled hearing people at the airport say they saw a cape cobra seeking refuge underneath the aircraft’s wing. Erasmus also said he heard people wondering that the animal may have crawled into the Beechcraft Baron’s engine cowling.
In response, they searched the plane and could not find anything, leading them to assume that the snake had ventured out of the aircraft and back into the wild. But, that was not the case as the venomous animal hid and emerged inflight. Then, the pilot described how he did not want to startle the passengers onboard.
After informing air traffic controllers of the situation and asking for permission, Erasmus landed the pilot safely at a nearby airport in Welkom. All five people exited the aircraft unharmed, and the snake was found coiled up under the pilot’s seat. According to CNN, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said the snake was a large cape cobra.
