FUKUOKA - A small creature spotted aboard an airplane that caused its flight cancellation Monday in southwestern Japan turned out to be a nonvenomous Japanese snake, the affected airline operator said.
Japan Air Commuter Co., a group company of Japan Airlines Co., said Tuesday the snake measuring about 40 centimeters in length, was found by a mechanic under the carpet in the aircraft at Fukuoka Airport at around 1 p.m.
It was identified by an expert as a juvenile Japanese striped snake and later captured, according to JAC. The airline said the point of entry is unknown, adding that it was the first time to have experienced such an incident.
The plane arrived from Izumo Airport in Shimane Prefecture on Monday and was initially scheduled to depart at 12:50 p.m. from Fukuoka the same day. A small animal was spotted when the plane was preparing for departure and JAC canceled the flight for nearby Kagoshima Prefecture.
