KUALA LUMPUR – An AirAsia airplane headed from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau was forced to change course today after a snake was seen on board.
The captain made the decision to avert any untoward incident to the passengers and crew.
The reptile was seen moving very slowly behind the translucent panel of a ceiling light in the plane’s interior.
A video of the snake, as seen behind the panel, has started to go viral on social media.
An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau was forced to change course after a snake was seen on board.
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) February 11, 2022
To avert any untoward incidents involving passengers and crew, the flight was diverted to Kuching.
Here, the reptile is seen moving very slowly behind a translucent panel. pic.twitter.com/dAhCFAlppE
In a statement, AirAsia confirmed the matter. Its chief safety officer, Capt Liong Tien Ling, said the incident happened earlier today.
He stressed that passengers and crew were not at risk.
“As soon as the captain was aware, he made the decision to divert the aircraft to Kuching as a precautionary measure to fumigate the aircraft,” Liong said.
“This is a very rare incident which can occur on any aircraft from time to time.
“The captain took the appropriate action, and the flight will depart for Tawau as soon as possible. The safety and well-being of our guests and crew are always our top priority.
“At no time was the safety of guests or crew at any risk,” he added.
According to data from FlightRadar24, the AK5748 flight left KLIA at 9.40am heading towards the South China Sea.
It is unsure when the diversion took place, but according to the flight path a turn was made somewhere during 10.24am.
The flight reached Kuching at 11.17am. – The Vibes, February 11, 2022
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