By John Ikani
A South African pilot, Rudolph Erasmus, had a terrifying encounter with a cobra while flying his Beechcraft Baron 58 plane from Bloemfontein to Pretoria.
At 11,000ft in the air, Erasmus felt a cool sensation creeping up his shirt and initially thought it was water dripping down his back from an improperly closed water bottle.
To his shock, he turned to his left and saw the cobra slithering under his seat.
Despite the inherent danger, Erasmus didn’t want to create panic among his passengers, and so thought carefully before informing them of the reptile’s presence.
After he informed the passengers, an eerie silence filled the cabin.
A Cape Cobra’s bite is lethal and can kill someone in as little as 30 minutes, so it’s no surprise that the passengers’ reaction was one of shock and disbelief.
The plane made an emergency landing in the city of Welkom, and while the snake was not found, it is believed that it may have taken refuge under the plane before takeoff.
Despite the potentially life-threatening situation, Erasmus is being hailed as a hero for his actions in keeping everyone calm and ensuring their safety.
South African civil aviation commissioner, Poppy Khosa, praised Erasmus’s “great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board,” according to News24.
The pilot, however, remains humble, stating that his passengers’ calmness was equally instrumental in ensuring the safe outcome of the situation.
As of the time of filing this report, the slithering stowaway has not been located, leaving some wondering if the snake has disappeared into the aircraft’s machinery, waiting for its next victim.
