Flatulence From 2,186 Goats Allegedly Forces Emergency Landing
Jennifer Billock November 04, 2015
A freighter plane had to make an emergency landing—because of farts that set off the fire alarm.
A Singapore Airlines cargo flight from Australia to Malaysia was diverted to Bali for an emergency landing on October 26 because the smoke alarms in the cargo hold activated, according to The Daily Mail. But when the emergency crew boarded, they didn’t find smoke, fire, or heat—they just found gas. The animal kind.
In addition to the four crew members, the plane was carrying a herd of 2,186 goats (or sheep, depending on who you ask). Apparently the alarm went off because the animals were gassy and the manure and flatulence triggered it.
The plane was able to get back on course after nearly three hours in Indonesia—presumably after letting the cargo hold air out for a little while.
This isn’t the first time in recent months that a Singapore Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing. Back in August, a passenger jet had to land in Istanbul because the plane flew through a flock of storks. The birds tore some holes into the plane and damaged the radome, the weatherproofed shield covering the radar antenna at the nose of the plane.
Other notable news from Singapore Airlines on October 26 is that the company will resume long-haul direct flights from the US to Singapore starting in 2018, SF Gate reported. The flight is expected to be the longest nonstop in the world, clocking in at 19 hours total flying time from New York. Flights will also leave from Los Angeles.
UPDATE 1:30 p.m. PST. A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines has denied the cause of the flight’s emergency landing as flatulence from the goats in an interview with Singapore publication Today. The Aviation Herald, which originally reported the incident, is standing by the story, according to an interview with The Huffington Post.
[Photo: Getty Images]
