23-9-2024 (OSLO) A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight from Oslo to Malaga was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Copenhagen on Wednesday. The culprit? A tiny mouse that emerged from a passenger’s in-flight meal, causing consternation among travellers and crew alike.
The incident, which SAS spokesperson Oystein Schmidt described as “extremely rare”, led to the implementation of strict safety protocols. “We have established procedures for such situations,” Schmidt told AFP, emphasising the potential risks posed by rodents on aircraft, particularly to electrical wiring.
Passenger Jarle Borrestad, who witnessed the mousey mayhem first-hand, recounted the surreal experience to the BBC News Channel. “The mouse escaped from the box of food that the woman sat next to me was opening,” he said, noting that despite the unexpected guest, the atmosphere remained remarkably calm. “People were not stressed at all,” Borrestad added, though he admitted to taking the precaution of pulling his socks over his trousers to prevent any unwanted furry climbers.
The unplanned stop in Copenhagen saw passengers transferred to a different aircraft to complete their journey to Malaga, adding only a few hours to their travel time. SAS has since launched a review with their suppliers to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
This rodent-related ruckus marks the second such incident in a week, following a disrupted train service in southern England where two squirrels boarded a carriage, with one stubbornly refusing to disembark.
