Over 130 hamsters escaped from an aircraft’s cargo hold, causing a flight suspension for 5 days.
According to recent reports from international media outlets, including the Daily Mail, the hamsters were discovered on November 12 aboard a TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320.
The flight, bound for Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island in the Azores, made an emergency landing after the hamsters were found in the cabin.
After evacuating all passengers, airline and airport officials thoroughly searched the aircraft. They discovered that the damaged hamster cages in the hold had unleashed more than 130 hamsters into the aircraft.
Although airline staff managed to capture all the escaped hamsters by the night’s end, the significant delay resulted in the cancellation of the next flight. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft’s operation was suspended for five days for thorough inspections.
Photos released by the airline show staff wearing gloves carefully and removing the hamsters hidden in the cargo hold.
The hamsters, white ferrets, and birds were being delivered to a pet store in the Azores.
Reports suggest another airline rejected the hamster shipment because it did not meet approval standards. It was then transferred to TAP Portugal.
Experts warn that rodents like rats and hamsters tend to gnaw on wires with their strong, sharp teeth, which could cause disastrous malfunctions on the aircraft.
