Melbourne to Brisbane: Snake found on board; Virgin Australia flight delayed by 2 hours

A domestic Virgin Australia flight was delayed for nearly two hours after a 60-centimetre (2 foot) green tree snake was discovered in the plane's cargo hold, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday, when passengers were boarding Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport, bound for Brisbane. Airline staff Pelley told the Associated Press that the snake was partially hidden behind a panel when he entered the cargo hold.

Although the snake later turned out to be non-venomous, it initially appeared dangerous in the dimly lit cargo hold, Pelley said. “It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realized it wasn’t venomous. Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me,”.

The snake was partially concealed behind a panel and could have easily slipped deeper into the aircraft. Pelley warned airline staff and an engineer that if the snake got away, a full evacuation would be necessary.

Fortunately, he managed to catch it on the first attempt. “If I hadn’t, engineers might still be pulling apart the Boeing 737 looking for it,” he added.

Due to quarantine restrictions, the snake cannot be released back into the wild. Instead, it has been handed over to a Melbourne veterinarian who will place it with a licensed snake keeper.