A flight from Portugal's capital to an island in the Azores ended up grounded for four days after more than 130 hamsters busted out of their holding containers and overtook the plane carrying them to their destination. The Telegraph reports that the TAP Air Portugal jet traveled Wednesday from Lisbon to Sao Miguel Island, with a very special delivery on board: 132 hamsters, as well as some ferrets and caged birds, all bound for a pet store in the archipelago.
However, when the Airbus A321neo, which was also transporting people, landed at Ponta Delgada Airport, crew members made a startling discovery, per Aviacao TV—the hamster boxes had been damaged, and the rodents were on the loose in the cargo hold. Every single one of the hamsters had to be captured before the plane could take off again, due to the possibility that they could chew through the plane's electrical wires. Although some hamsters were found relatively quickly, it took staff until Sunday to find the final 16.
The plane then took off to return to Lisbon, this time as a "ferry" flight with no human passengers. The Correio da Manha newspaper reports that the same group of animals had originally been set for another flight but were turned away, "as the transport boxes were not in compliance." TAP Air Portugal says the jet will undergo an "exhaustive" check to make sure the hamsters didn't do any real damage, per the Telegraph. That outlet notes some other creatures that have broken free from their restraints while in flight, including a bear, a horse, and a giant albino rat and otter. (More rodents stories.)
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