Escaped crocodile caused 20 to die in plane crash
A total of 20 people tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in the Congo, but the whole thing could have been avoided if it weren't for an escaped crocodile.
The story might sound like one from a slightly ridiculous drama movie, à la
Snakes on a Plane, but this is sadly entirely real.
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The incident took place in 2010, when passengers boarded a Filair Let L-410 flight in the capital city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The flight was scheduled to make stops in Kiri, Bokoro, Semendwa, and Bandundu, but just over a mile away from the runway at Bandundu, disaster struck.
The plane came down and crashed into a house near the runway, resulting in the deaths of 18 passengers and two pilots. There was just one survivor.
Initially, authorities suggested the crash occurred due to low fuel levels. The theory was backed by the fact there was no explosion at any point during the crash - but the truth was much more surprising.
According to the crash's sole survivor, the disaster took place due to a crocodile which had been smuggled by someone on board in a duffle bag.
The reptile had initially been hidden from passengers and crew, but in the middle of the flight it managed to escape and began to make its way around the cabin.
Needless to say, the sudden appearance of the crocodile caused chaos on board as passengers and crew began to run towards the cockpit to get away from the crocodile.
The surviving passenger recalled: "The terrified air hostess hurried towards the cockpit, followed by the passengers."
The sudden rush of movement resulted in an uneven distribution of weight in the aircraft, which messed with the plane's centre of gravity.
First officer Chris Wilson, who was 39 at the time, and 62-year-old Danny Philemotte, who owned the airline, struggled to compensate for the uneven weight distribution after the panic.
They ultimately lost control of the plane and it crash-landed into the ground below.
The crocodile actually was reported to have survived the crash, but it was killed with a machete by authorities shortly after.
In an interview with ABC News, safety consultant John Cox explained that it is 'possible' for a crash to be caused by an off-centre point of gravity, though the chance is rare.
"You could run the center of gravity forward where it wouldn't be controllable. Twenty people at 200 pounds each, it's possible," he explained.
Emily Brown