Disney TV star removes snake from a plane

A Disney television star has saved the day after a snake was spotted in the cabin of a Virgin flight from Broome.

A Disney TV star has saved the day after a snake was spotted in the cabin of a Virgin flight.

Flight 1482 was scheduled to take off from Broome Airport at 10.30am on Thursday, but was delayed by 20 minutes after a snake slithered on board.

Luckily for the crew and passengers on board the plane, TV star Andre Rerekura was sitting up the front and was able to remove the snake before it departed from Broome.

Mr Rerekura is a regular on Shipwreck Hunters featured on Disney.

Disney’s Shipwreck Hunters TV star Andre Rerekura removed a snake that snuck onto a Virgin flight before it departed from Broome. Picture: Supplied,

“He was so cute, we should have taken him home,” Mr Rerekura said as he returned to his seat.

Cabin crew were equally amused by the scene that could have come out of a Hollywood blockbuster with one flight attendant saying, “There was never a dull moment in aviation.”

“That certainly takes the cake everyone,” the flight attendant said.

“We do have a gentleman on board that has safely and soundly taken the snake off the aircraft.”

The Last Place on Earth cofounder Jesse Noakes who supplied News Corp with one of the videos from the plane said the underwater cinematographer and legendary outdoors man knew immediately what to do when the screams of fellow passengers alerted him to the danger and removed the snake from the plane.

“He showed no hesitation despite having only his bare hands to aid him,” he said.

“All he asked for in return was a glass of soda water to quench the big Kimberly thirst when he got back on the plane.”

Mr Noakes said the Shipwreck Hunter knew his way around reptiles and snakes, including sea snakes, many of which he had been filming in recent days.

A snake snuck onto a Virgin flight from Broome before take off. Picture: Supplied.

He said the snake wrangler was filming off Scott reef, more than 250kms off the Kimberley coast, and one of the last wild places left in Australia,

“Andre and his cinematography partners have been filming the precious and fragile Scott reef for an upcoming production which will run shortly.”

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said the non-venomous snake was discovered in the cabin during boarding.

“In this scenario, crew would typically report the incident and call a professional to remove the wildlife from the aircraft,” the spokesperson said.

“On this occasion, a passenger removed the snake while this process was underway.”

The spokesperson said the snake was handed over to the airport reporting officer, and after it was removed the aircraft continued its service to Perth.

“We thank our passengers for their patience,” the spokesperson said.

Broome International Airport chief executive Craig Shaw told the ABC he did not know how the reptile came to be on board.

“Our staff assisted in the removal of the reptile and there was minimal disruption to the service,” he said.