Snake emerges from steering wheel on highway, prompting fire department response

A snake emerged from between the steering wheel and dashboard of a rental car on a highway, prompting a fire department response.

At around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, a driver identified only as A was traveling southbound on the Gyeongbu Expressway near Yangjae IC when the snake's head appeared from behind the steering wheel, Yonhap reported Sunday.

A immediately pulled over to the shoulder and called the fire department. Firefighters arrived at the scene at around 6:38 p.m. and killed the snake.

A was not bitten or otherwise injured.

The fire department wrapped up the operation and left the scene at around 7:11 p.m.

Earlier, a snake found aboard a domestic flight operated by Japan Air Commuter, a budget carrier affiliated with Japan Airlines, on Oct. 19 caused the flight's cancellation.

According to Kyodo News and the Nishinippon Shimbun, a 40-centimeter striped snake was discovered inside an ATR42 aircraft at Fukuoka Airport that had been scheduled to depart for Kagoshima.

A pilot preparing for departure first spotted the snake in the cockpit. When it escaped and could not be located, the flight scheduled for that day was canceled. The snake was found again the following day, Oct. 20, and captured by a pest control specialist.