A pilot in South Africa made a hasty emergency landing after discovering a highly venomous cobra hiding under his seat.

Rudolf Erasmus had four passengers on board the light aircraft during Monday害羞草研究所檚 flight when he felt 害羞草研究所渟omething cold害羞草研究所� slide across his lower back. He glanced down to see the head of a fairly large Cape Cobra 害羞草研究所渞eceding back under the seat,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚t was as if my brain didn害羞草研究所檛 know what was going on,害羞草研究所� he told The Associated Press.

After taking a moment to compose himself, he informed his passengers of the slippery stowaway.

害羞草研究所淭here was a moment of stunned silence,害羞草研究所� he said. Everyone stayed cool, especially the pilot.

Erasmus called air traffic control for permission to make an emergency landing in the town of Welkom in central South Africa. He still had to fly for another 10 to 15 minutes and land the plane with the snake curled up by his feet.

害羞草研究所淚 kept looking down to see where it was. It was happy under the seat,害羞草研究所� Erasmus said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 have a big fear of snakes but I normally don害羞草研究所檛 go near them.害羞草研究所�

Brian Emmenis, who works at Welkom radio station Gold FM and is also an aviation expert, received a phone call to see if he could help. He called the fire and rescue department, which sent emergency responders and a snake handler to meet the plane at the airport. Emmenis was first at the scene and saw everyone disembark, 害羞草研究所渧isibly shaken,害羞草研究所� Emmenis said, but all safe thanks to Erasmus.

害羞草研究所淗e stayed calm and landed that aircraft with a deadly venomous Cape Cobra curled up underneath his seat,害羞草研究所� Emmenis said.

Cape Cobras are one of Africa害羞草研究所檚 most dangerous cobra species because of the potency of their venom.

The drama wasn害羞草研究所檛 over for the poor pilot.

Welkom snake handler Johan de Klerk and a team of aviation engineers searched the plane for the best part of two days but still hadn害羞草研究所檛 found the cobra by Wednesday and were uncertain if it had sneaked out unnoticed.

The engineering company Erasmus works for wanted its plane back in the city of Mbombela in northern South Africa. So, he had to fly it back home, a 90-minute voyage with the possibility that the cobra was still onboard.

Unsurprisingly, his passengers decided to look for another way to get home.

This time Erasmus took some precautions: He wore a thick winter jacket, he said, wrapped a blanket round his seat, and had a fire extinguisher, a can of insect repellent and a golf club within arm害羞草研究所檚 reach in the cockpit.

害羞草研究所淚 would say I was on high alert,害羞草研究所� Erasmus said.

The cobra didn害羞草研究所檛 reappear on that flight and the plane has now been completely stripped, but still no sign of the snake, Erasmus said.

The theory is it found its way on board before Erasmus and his passengers took off at the start of their trip from the town of Worcester in the Western Cape province, where Cape Cobras are usually found in South Africa. It might have got out in Welkom or might still be hiding somewhere deep in the plane.

害羞草研究所淚 hope it finds somewhere to go,害羞草研究所� Erasmus said. 害羞草研究所淛ust not my aircraft.害羞草研究所�

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Gerald Imray, The Associated Press