A spokesman for Scandinavian Airlines said the rodent posed a “safety risk” to travelers flying from Oslo, Norway, to Malaga, Spain.
A Scandinavian Airlines passenger got an unpleasant surprise when she opened her meal and a live mouse ran out.
The unsanitary incident forced the plane to make an emergency landing on Wednesday, September 17, the airline told AFP news agency, according to the BBC.
Airline spokesman Oystein Schmidt said the rodent posed a “security risk” to travelers flying from Oslo, Norway, to Malaga, Spain. The plane was diverted to Copenhagen.
Passengers later travelled on another plane to their original destination of Malaga.
One of the passengers on board, Jarle Borrestad, shared his experience of seeing the furry intruder in a Facebook post.
“Believe it or not. A lady next to me here at SAS opened the food and a mouse jumped out. Now we have turned around and landed at CPH [Copenhagen Airport] for flight changes,” Borrestad wrote.
Related: Disorderly passenger ordered to pay airline nearly $6,000 for wasted fuel after forcing plane to divert
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Schmidt said finding a mouse during a flight “is something that happens extremely rarely.”
“We have procedures in place for such situations, including an evaluation with our suppliers to ensure this does not happen again,” Schmidt added.
PEOPLE contacted Scandinavian Airlines but did not immediately receive a response.
An article on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) website notes that mice can chew through electrical wiring in airplanes. Partially chewed wires, which are harder to detect, can cause short circuits and pose a fire hazard.
AOPA adds: “Once mice live on an airplane, it’s not just their home, it’s also… well… their bathroom. This is more than just gross. Mouse urine is corrosive to metal, and their feces can act as an anti-desiccant, trapping moisture and causing water corrosion.”
“If you see a mouse in the hangar, the correct response is to take action,” the article advises.
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