A pilot with a severe allergic reaction to spiders was bitten mid-flight by a stowaway tarantula — forcing hours-long delays as the plane was fumigated after landing safely, according to reports.
The pilot was operating an Iberia Airbus A320 flying from Düsseldorf in Germany to the Spanish capital Madrid on Friday when he suffered a severe allergic reaction from the terrifying spider, the Canarian Weekly reported.
The pilot was immediately treated with Urbasón, a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties, which was in the flight’s first aid kid, the outlet said.
Despite the surprise arachnid attack, the flight safely landed in the Spanish capital and passengers got off safely, the report noted.
The plane was held while specialist teams at Madrid Airport fumigated the aircraft to either “flush” it out or kill the eight-legged menace, the outlet reported.
Investigators believe the tarantula entered the plane via luggage on an earlier flight between Madrid and Casablanca, a city in Morocco, according to the outlet.
Though it is not clear if the pilot required more medical attention, Iberia Airline confirmed to the outlet that the pilot is doing fine and has not suffered any lasting health effects.
The treatment delayed the plane’s next scheduled flight from Madrid to Vigo, with the roughly three-hour holdup attributed to maintenance issues before passengers caught wind of the real reason for the delay before boarding, according to the report.
Passengers were visibly uncomfortable while boarding the flight out of fear — checking seats and belongings for any signs of arachnids, the outlet said.
Despite the unease, the flight to Vigo safely touched down around midnight local without any tarantula sightings.
