Community Chat

[Mindy D]

A pilot, Rudolph Erasmus, really held his cool on the job on Monday. He had four passengers aboard a light aircraft out of South Africa. During the flight he felt something cold slide across his lowerback, side or hip, depending on which source I read. He thought the cold sensation was his water bottle leaking so he looked downward and saw the head of a large Cape Cobra moving under his seat. He took a few seconds to compose himself and then told the passengers about the snake being on board. Everyone became quiet. The pilot remained cool and radioed air traffic control to attempt an emergency landing in Welkom, SA.

He continued flying the craft for around fifteen more minutes and was able to land the plane with the snake still near his feet. The pilot kept looking down to check and kept seeing his his reptilian passenger under his seat.

Brian Emmenis, a man working at the Welkom radio station and an aviation expert was given a call to see if he could help with the situation. He called fire rescue and they sent some emergency workers along with a snake handler to the airport to be ready to help upon the landing. The pilot and passengers emerged from the plane safe, but seeming visibly shaken from their ordeal. 

The plane was searched by the snake expert, the snake handler and aviation engineers for two days but they were not able to find the cobra.

The passengers took a different way home. Can you blame them?

The pilot, still had to go back to the plane to get it back to its home airport. He put on a heavy jacket and wrapped 

a blanket over his seat. He carried a fire extinguisher, a golf club and some bug spray with him and he stayed vigilant on the return flight. The snake never reappeared. Once back, the plane was totally stripped but still no cobra found. 

Cape cobra venom can kill nine men with one bite.

[Mindy D]

[On It]

I saw that story. That is a nightmare coming to real life. I do not believe I could have gotten back in that cockpit to return the plane to its point of origin. There is no telling where that snake may be hiding.

[bikerbabe]

Soooooo

Who flies that plane next?🤣

[haddon9]

Wow!!!  What a story!! 

I was wondering if he kept looking down and saw the snake under his seat, how did he get off?  I would b afraid that any sudden move would make the snake attack.  I wish they would have addressed that in the story.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

Yikes, there is no way I would have gotten back on that plane to return it back.. I would be so scared, and how can you concentrate when having to be on the lookout for a cobra? Wow! Scary!

[bikerbabe]

@haddon9

Very slowly and carefully 👀🥴🤣

[Mindy D]

After his touch down and the clearing of the passengers from the plane, the pilot stood on the wing of the plane and moved the seat forward. He found the snake still there. The pilot remarked, "he was quite a big fellow."

[Imaoldhippie]

I would have had to change my undies!

[Venezia]

So which story is right?  Did they find the snake or not?  The two stories seem to conflict.  The crew and snake handler on the ground searched for two days, but couldn't find it?

Or the pilot moved the seat forward after landing and found it?  I'm confused.