Gator Gets Loose in Airliner Compartment

AP via 1010wins ^ | Oct 27, 2003 1:01 PM EST | STEVE STRUNSKY

[Calpernia]

No, it wasn't just an alligator bag. Rather, a live alligator was captured inside the baggage hold of an airliner on Monday after it escaped from a crate of four gators being shipped from Miami, officials said.

The alligator was a juvenile, 4-5 feet long and weighing as little as 10 pounds, and remained inside a burlap bag with its mouth bound shut, said Tim Wagner, an American Airlines spokesman.

No one was reported hurt, and the alligator was placed back in its crate and claimed by its owners, Wagner said.

Authorities were looking into how the reptile got out of the box.

The gators flew into Newark Liberty International Airport on American Flight 776 from Miami, a Boeing 767, which arrived at 10:28 a.m.

"Upon arrival at Newark, when the cargo hold was opened, one of the alligators was outside of the crate," said Wagner. "Still in the burlap bag, still with his mouth bound properly. So they called the Port Authority, put the alligator back in the crate with its companions, and it has now been reunited with its owners."

"These were juvenile alligators, small alligators," Wagner added.

Tony Ciavolella, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, said the Port Authority Police emergency services unit was called in. Officers did not wrestle the alligator or use a tranquilizer gun, he said, but rather used a closing-loop device to capture it.

Officers from the state Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife were called in, but were not needed, Ciavolella said.

Wagner would not release the owners' names. Neither he nor Ciavolella knew why the alligators were being transported. Their health certificates and other paperwork were in order, Wagner said.

[Calpernia]

[Calpernia]

Ping

Dutchess, maybe Giz should schedule an interview?

[Arkie2]

Yeah, he was the navigator!

[Pikamax]

"4-5 feet long and weighing as little as 10 pounds"

thats not a gator, thats a twig.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Alligators should stay in Harlem apartments with tigers, where they belong.

[Pro-Bush]

...Just damn?

[OldFriend]

And then they can get famous and go on all the morning shows!!

[martin_fierro]

Gator Gets Loose in Airliner Compartment

It then proceeded to spew Spyware everywhere.

[Calpernia]

That alligator was 5 feet and 10 lbs. Not even worthy of a belt, IMO.

[Guillermo]

Hopefully the Dawgs will kill the Gators this Saturday.

[RiflemanSharpe]

Gator, if done just right will fry up nice as can be, or be the crowning achievement in a nice gumbo. I am getting hungry just think about it.

[Calpernia]

I never had Gator. Bear makes a nice stew though.

[RiflemanSharpe]

It tastes like chicken.

[1L]

Quality control at the suitcase factory isn't what it used to be.

[Calpernia]

>>>It tastes like chicken.

CLICK!

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[SavageRepublican]

Where's that Steve Irwin guy when you need him?

[Calpernia]

CLICK!