The pilot panicked when he discovered the snake in the cockpit. Illustration: Huffpost.

While piloting a Beechcraft Baron 58 over South African airspace, pilot Rudolf Erasmus suddenly felt cold in his waist. When he looked back, he panicked when he saw the head of a snake peeking out from beneath his seat.

“Honestly, I don’t know how to react other than being dumbfounded. My brain was frozen and blank. It slithered through my body,” he told Insider.

Soon after, Erasmus realized that in front of him was a very poisonous Cape cobra, although he did not understand the reason for its appearance. This is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. Their venom can kill an adult in just 30 minutes.

Despite the fear, the pilot tried to stay calm to make sure the situation didn’t deteriorate too quickly. At the same time, he also informed the passengers about what was happening. Most were stunned and did not know how to react to this information.

“Anxiety pervades the cabin. Luckily, they all kept their cool quite well. Thanks to this, the situation calmed down instead of chaos, agitation beyond the control of the crew,” Erasmus said.

Soon after, the pilot gathered for an emergency landing for 10-15 minutes. Talking to local media, the crew representative confirmed that all passengers left the plane without any injuries.

“I looked directly at the snake. It is curled up under the driver’s seat and is quite large. It made me both scared and relieved at the same time,” he told Lowvelder news channel.

The Beechcraft Baron 58 was flown by Erasmus. Photo: Rudolf Erasmus.

However, the animal was reported missing, despite the efforts of engineers and snake catchers. They even removed seats and fenders from the plane to track them down but to no avail.

After the story was posted, the male pilot acknowledged the rain of compliments. Poppy Khosa, the South African Civil Aviation Commissioner, hailed Erasmus as a “hero” for saving the lives of the passengers on board.

However, Erasmus was not entirely comfortable with flattery.

“Things wouldn’t be like this without serious support from passengers. Their calm attitude is the key. Meanwhile, I’m just fulfilling my duty,” he added. .

According to the Washington Post, most cases of snakes found on planes are when the animal tries to crawl in the cabin.

In February, an AirAsia flight in Malaysia had to be diverted after some passengers saw a snake in flight, according to USA Today. A viral video shows the snake inside the light above the passenger’s head.

In 2017, on a flight over Alaska, a flight attendant immediately took action when a boy spotted a sleeping snake. Passengers on the previous flight had forgotten the snake, AP reported.

The flight attendant grabbed the snake by the stomach and dropped it into the bag. She put the snake in the trash and left it high until the plane landed.