Baboon Tarantula (Photo : YouTube)
A baboon tarantula escaped from the cargo hold of a Delta Airlines jet bound for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, resulting in the air carrier grounding the plane in Baltimore's Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and transferring passengers to another jet.
Associated Press reports that baggage handlers noticed the dangerous spider get out of its container on Flight 1525 on Wednesday night. The discovery led the captain to ground the MD-88 jet to give Delta Airlines workers time to search if there are any other insects inside the jet.
The baboon tarantula is endemic to Africa and sports a burnt orange color and fangs. AJC.com, citing animal-world.com, reports that this spider species is aggressive and defensive. Its bite could cause serious injury to humans. CNN reports that the venom of tarantulas in the US are not fatal, citing the U.S. National Library of Medicines, but it could cause allergic reactions.
According to Brian Kruse, spokesman for the air carrier, the tarantula was only in the cargo hold and did not reach the cabin. The search did not yield any other spider.
Morgan Durrant, another spokesman of Delta, explains, "Flight crew made the decision to fly to Atlanta on another aircraft out of an abundance of caution and the Captain explained the situation to our customers."
The transfer to another plane caused the delay in arrival of Flight 1525 in Atlanta which left at 10 p.m., three hours delayed from its original 7 p.m. departure schedule. Durrant added that the spider came from a cargo shipment of insects that was breached, reports CNN.
