Who needs ”snakes on a plane” when you have ”eels on the apron?” I’m guessing this incident may have caused some last minute menu changes at a Japanese restaurant…
Continue reading: Eels Break Free From Aircraft, Flood Vancouver Airport Apron
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I concur with others. They look like eels to me. Honestly most surprising bit here is that Qantas (used to?) operate turboprop flights from Cairns to Port Moresby. Does that tell us about Australia’s size or the turboprop’s ability to cover that distance? Wow
Yes, these looks more like eels as to snakes. However I am quite sure that must have been a very expensive cargo (eels are very expensive and a controlled item like ivory). I am quite sure that the box broke because these loaders did not bother to read the fragile tag to take care of loading the box. The other theory is that someone was trying to ship these eels illegally (it is a sort after commodity) and therefore not the correct packaging was used.
Cheers!
They definitely look like eels, being shipped to make into sushi for dinner that night.
They are eels, the use of a plastic bag inside a styrofoam box, plus the spilled water on the floor means they were clearly transported in water (ergo not snakes).
I used to work ramp at YVR. There was one time we loaded a box onto a plane that was clearly labelled “live harmless reptiles.” Glad that one was packaged well…
I am about to say they are not snakes, they are rather just some sort of eel and most likely will be someone’s food lol
Clues. 1.water where the main group fell snakes are not wet. 2. Box plastic wrapped, again water and snakes don’t mix. 3.Animals unable to get away just flipping in place, snakes would coil back to defend themselves or disappear in a New York minute under something.
Some asking how? Poor packaging of mis-labeling. Or poor handling.
Also entirely possible that the eel cargo could have been unreported or not marked by a passenger trying to get away with just checking the animals.
That this continues to circulate as “snakes” boggles my mind.
Thanks all for confirming that these were eels. Post updated to reflect that. 🙂
Eels still creep me out after a couple of times winning in rivers back home in NZ. They’d swim up against your leg.
Smells like contraband. There is an illicit market for eels and it was my understanding that their exportation was illegal.
YVR cargo staff was eel-prepared to handle this kind of a shipment...
I'll get my coat
Except that the Japanese and the Greeks are among the two longest-lived demographics, and both are well known for their culinary cultures' eel consumption.