Snake found in cargo hold delays Virgin Australia Melbourne flight, likely from Queensland
A flight departing Melbourne was delayed for over an hour after a surprise stowaway was discovered in the cargo hold, a green tree snake, a non-venomous species native to northern and eastern Australia.
Cabin crew on flight VA337 spotted the slender reptile slithering among the luggage shortly before departure, quickly closing the cargo door and calling for professional help.
Snake catcher Mark Pelley, known as ‘The Snake Hunter’, was summoned to the airport and described the urgency of the situation to the Daily Mail: “If I didn’t get it on the first go, it could’ve escaped behind the panels and into the plane. So I had to rush and get it quickly,” he said. “Thankfully, it didn’t get too far.”
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Pelley said it took him about half an hour to reach the airport, with security adding another 15-minute delay. By the time he arrived, passengers had already boarded and were left waiting on the tarmac as the drama unfolded.
“It took just 30 seconds to catch the snake and secure it in a container,” Pelley said, praising Virgin Australia’s quick response and reassuring that at no point were passengers at risk.
The green tree snake, which is active during the day and prefers to escape rather than bite, is harmless to humans but highly agile—its slender body allows it to squeeze through small gaps and climb with ease.
Authorities believe the snake may have hitched a ride inside a passenger’s suitcase from Queensland, the flight’s origin, and escaped into the cargo hold before takeoff.
The snake will be handed over to environmental authorities and is expected to be returned to the wild in Queensland. While Pelley has responded to airport calls before, this was his first time catching a snake inside a plane.
“This kind of thing could happen anytime, anywhere in Australia,” he said.
Flight VA337, originally scheduled to depart at 4.10 pm, eventually took off at 6.23 pm and landed in Brisbane at around 8.30 pm, after the slippery passenger was safely removed.
