Stowaway snake found after Mexico-to-London flight vanishes, and no passenger saw it

A snake that had gotten onto a Tui flight from Cancun to London Gatwick could not be found after the plane landed.

Even more unnerving, The Independent reported that no passengers said they noticed the reptile at any point during the trip — where's Samuel L. Jackson when you need him?

What happened?

The animal was discovered only after the June 5 flight had emptied out, The Independent reported, when an aircraft cleaner found it on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Tui later said the snake was nonvenomous.

Tui removed the plane from service and set traps in an attempt to locate the reptile, but the search came up empty. After specialists determined it had probably already left the aircraft, the jet was put back into operation.

In comments to The Sun, one source said that "the sight of the snake almost gave the airline cleaners a heart attack. But by the time they had raised the alarm, the animal had disappeared."

It's not the first time a reptile has turned up on a plane. The Independent also noted that, last summer, a Virgin Australia domestic flight was held up for about two hours when a harmless 24-inch green tree snake was found in the cargo hold. Snake catcher Mark Pelley was called in to remove it.

Why does it matter?

When animals are carried into unfamiliar places, even by accident, the consequences can be risky for both people and the animals themselves. 

In some cases, stowaway species can also create ecological problems if they escape into a new environment. Not to mention the panic it could cause if a snake were seen in a tight space like a plane. 

What's being done?

Before the aircraft returned to service, The Independent reported, the jet was grounded, traps were placed, and specialists were consulted.

The uncertainty also lingered, with the same source warning, "It's not known what damage the snake could do to the mechanics of the plane."

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