A stowaway cat caused major disruption to a Ryanair flight in Rome last week, leading to a two-day delay after the feline intruder retreated into the aircraft's electrical bay.
The incident unfolded when crew members heard miaowing sounds during pre-flight checks as they helped passengers to board the plane.
The crew located the cat in a forward electrical and equipment bay of the Boeing 737 aircraft.
An official report detailed the discovery, saying: "During pre-flight check a cats sound was heard. Identified cat inside forward electrical and equipment bay."
Crew members heard miaowing sounds during pre-flight checks as they helped passengers to board the plane (Stock)
PA
Initial attempts to capture the animal backfired, causing it to retreat further into the aircraft's internal compartments.
Engineers attempted to access the elusive feline by removing forward cargo compartment panels, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
The official report described how the cat moved between compartments: "While trying to catch it, the cat moved to the back of main electrical and equipment bay through air-stair compartment."
Despite removing panels to gain better access, the cat continued to evade capture, moving through the aircraft's internal spaces.
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A source familiar with the incident highlighted the potential dangers of the situation, saying: "The cat was a stowaway but could have caused major problems at 30,000ft."
"It's a blessing the miaows were heard. It was an expensive issue for Ryanair and will have set them back tens of thousands of pounds," the source added.
The disruption proved to be a particular challenge for the airline, with the aircraft remaining grounded at Rome airport.
The Boeing 737 remained grounded for two days following the incident (Stock)
GETTY
The situation was finally resolved when the cat was filmed making its way down the aircraft's steps after a door was left open.
The Boeing 737 remained grounded for two days following the incident.
Records show the aircraft eventually resumed service last Monday with a flight to Germany.
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