Snake on a plane

A POISONOUS snake sparked panic on a plane after it dropped from an overhead compartment mid-flight.

Shocked passengers travelling to Mexico City took footage of the five-foot-long green viper as it dropped down to the seats below.

A university professor who was on the flight told how he helped capture it with a blanket — but showed he had retained his sense of humour and joked he had kept it entertained by giving it an in-flight magazine to read.

The jaw-dropping incident is said to have happened on Sunday afternoon during a two-hour Aeromexico flight between Torreon in the northern state of Coahuila and the Mexican capital.

The plane’s pilot was reportedly given permission to make a priority landing when he reached his destination and animal control experts alerted so they could board when it arrived and take the reptile away.

Professor Indalecio Medina, whose video was today going viral, joked: “The flying snake. A unique experience on Aeromexico flight 231 from Torreon to Mexico City.”

He later added on social media: “I had to catch it with a blanket and obviously we gave it some magazines to read for a while.

“The snake arrived alive and kicking, frightened but without having paid its airfare.

“And best of all, priority when it came to landing and animal control experts waiting for the unexpected traveller.”

There was no immediate word from the airline. It is not known how it managed to get on board the plane.—Mirror Online.