NEW YORK – A dramatic incident unfolded mid-flight as a Boeing 747 cargo jet was forced to make an abrupt return to its departure after a horse broke free from its stall.
The chaotic situation erupted on the flight headed from New York to Belgium when after 90 minutes, the pilot had to take the turn back to the airport.
The incident happened when the aircraft was at a height of 30,000 feet and the pilot contacted the air traffic control, stating, “We have a live animal, a horse, on board the airplane. The horse managed to escape.”
Despite efforts, the crew was unable to re-secure the animal, prompting the pilot to land back at the John F Kennedy International Airport.
As a precaution, the plane had to dispose of 20 tonnes of fuel “east of Nantucket” to reduce weight before returning though the horse’s unexpected freedom during transit remains a mystery.
The flight later resumed and successfully reached Liege Airport the following morning and the purpose behind transporting the horse remains undisclosed, BBC reported.
In a similar incident that happened in August this year, a bear cub broke loose in the cargo hold of a passenger flight headed from Dubai to Baghdad.
After the incident, a specialized animal control team had to be called in to sedate the bear when workers at the airport found out that it was running amok on board. It took the staff three hours to safely remove the bear, delaying the flight for those on board.
