London bound plane forced to return after a stowaway rat was spotted

Air India flight AI131 Mumbai-London was forced to turn back mid-flight after a rat was spotted on board when flying over Iran on Wednesday 30 December 2015. Passengers continued their journey on a replacement aircraft later. According to Air India the plane was fumigated and the presence of a rodent was thoroughly investigated.   The stowaway rat got on board aircraft with catering and other supplies and can pose serious health hazard if they chew through the wires. The airline however, did not find any rats onboard.

There was another reported rodent sighting on Air India earlier this year in July 2015 the flight from New Delhi to Milan. In May 2015 an Airbus A320 , New Delhi to Leh in the Himalayas in Northern India, was taken out of service after stowaway rats were spotted on board. In 2009 another Air India flight from Amritsar to Toronto was delayed for nearly half a day as staff tried to catch the rat.