Air India Plane Forced To Turn Back After 'Rat Sighting'

 

An Air India plane was forced to return to New Delhi two hours into a flight to Milan today after a "suspected rat sighting" in the cabin. The airline although said no rodent had been found, but it had no choice but to turn back and fumigate the aircraft after the report.

"(The Dreamliner flight) AI 123... returned to Delhi due to (a) suspected rat sighting. The presence of the rodent was not confirmed, but keeping passenger safety in mind, the aircraft was brought back," an airline official told AFP today.

Rats pose a serious threat to the safety of flights as they can chew through wires and damage internal controls. They often hitch rides on food catering trucks that store the flight meal trays.

It was not the first time the airline, which has not reported an annual profit since 2007, had suffered a rodent problem.

An Air India domestic flight was reportedly grounded in May in the northern town of Leh after crew spotted rats scurrying around the plane.