MUMBAI: Air India reported on Saturday that an woman passenger on an April trip from Nagpur to Mumbai was bitten by a scorpion. The airline said, "The passenger was checked by the doctors and was subsequently admitted to hospital for treatment, the airline added."

"There was an extremely rare and unfortunate incident involving a scorpion biting a passenger on board our flight AI 630 on April 23, 2023," an Air India spokesperson said.

"Upon landing the women passenger was attended by the doctor at the airport and thereafter was treated at the hospital and discharged. Our officials accompanied the passenger to the hospital and offered all support to the passenger till discharge," an Air India spokesperson said. "Air India's engineering team conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft following the incident and discovered the scorpion", it added.

"Our team observed the protocol and conducted a entire inspection of the aircraft and seen the scorpion after which due fumigation process was carried out. We sincerely regret the agony and inconvenience caused to the passenger," Air India said.

An Air India sposkesman said that following the incident, Air India asked the catering division to advise the dry cleaners to check their facilities for any signs of a bed bug infestation. The facilities should, if necessary, be fumigated because it's possible that the supplies could allow the bugs to board the aircraft. These occurrences have happened in the past as well.

There have been instances in the past where reptiles were found aboard aircraft. A snake was discovered in the cargo hold of an Air India Express flight from Calicut in December of the year prior after it had landed at the Dubai airport.

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