Flight unable to make final stop after stowaway rat leaves passengers squirming

The rodent was seen crawling around the cabin while the plane was over the ocean

Passengers were on a 10-hour flight from Amsterdam to Aruba when the rat was spotted (Getty Images)

Passengers were left squirming after a rat was seen scurrying around the cabin of a KLM flight to the Caribbean.

The unexpected stowaway was spotted crawling across the top of a curtain rail and jumping onto overhead bins and storage units.

In a video that has gone viral, which purports to have been taken in the cabin at the time, the rodent can be seen running across the rail, while passengers react with disgust.

The plane was scheduled to fly from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Aruba before continuing to the island of Bonaire on 10 December.

More than 250 passengers who were waiting to fly to Bonaire – or to return to Amsterdam – were told that the plane had been grounded and the flight cancelled.

“This was a very exceptional incident. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew are always our top priority,” a KLM spokesperson told The Independent.

“That is why we cancelled the flight from Aruba via Bonaire to Amsterdam on December 10th, so that the aircraft could be thoroughly cleaned before being put back into service.”

Affected passengers were given overnight accommodation while the airline looked to provide alternative flights.

When asked how the rat managed to stow itself on board the aircraft, an airline spokesperson told Dutch media network RTL News that they did not know.

“The rat was discovered over the ocean,” they said. “Very unfortunate for the passengers who had to experience this.”

The spokesperson added that the “pilot didn't really have any other choice” but to continue the flight as normal, as the aircraft was over water when it was discovered.

“The passengers remained calm, and the staff kept a close eye on the animal. The animal also didn't come near the food,” they added.

While it is rare, it is not unheard of for unwelcome passengers to find themselves on board a flight.

In September, an IndiGo Airlines flight from Kanpur to Delhi was thrown into chaos after passengers spotted a rat leaping inside the cabin.

The rat was spotted before the flight departed, so crew managed to evacuate all 140 passengers, which led to a three-hour delay.

Rats on aircraft can pose serious risks if they chew through wires or critical components, so passengers were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Read more: Stowaway rat delays Indigo flight to Delhi by three hours