Imagine being on a plane and learning your pilot, who has a severe allergy to spiders, just got bit by a tarantula that's hidden away on the plane. To make matters worse, you're currently in the middle of the air.
That wild scene happened on board an Iberia Airbus A320. The flight was headed from Düsseldorf, Germany to Madrid, Spain. That's when the pilot was surprised by a tarantula in the air and bitten, according to the Canarian Weekly. I can imagine his surprise. You don't expect to find giant spiders in the air.
Fortunately, the crew immediately treated the bite with Urbasón, a corticosteroid, from the first aid kit. Despite having an allergy to spiders, the pilot still managed to safely land the flight in Madrid. All of the passengers left the plane without incident. But it's unknown exactly what happened to the tarantula following the bite. Madrid Airport called in specialist crews to fumigate the aircraft to kill or flush out the spider.
Pilot Bitten By Tarantula
They believe the arachnid entered the plane with someone's luggage in Casablanca and had been stowed away since then. Fortunately, the pilot himself is doing alright as well. But passengers on the following flight weren't too pleased. They had to wait three hours for a delay and then ended up feeling uncomfortable the whole way. After all you never know where a tarantula is going to strike.
As a whole, the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology says that insect and arachnid bites can cause a host of symptoms. The organization writes that symptoms can include:
- "Hives, itching and swelling in areas other than the sting site
- Abdominal cramping, vomiting, intense nausea or diarrhea
- Tightness in the chest and difficulty in breathing
- Hoarse voice or swelling of the tongue or throat, or difficulty swallowing"
It can also cause anaphylaxis and loss of consciousness. But as a whole, allergies to spiders are a rarity. Still, you also have to deal with potential toxicity when it comes to a tarantula bite.
The National Library Of Medicine writes, "Tarantula toxicity is a rare occurrence. There are over 900 species of tarantula, and they are popular as pets. While tarantulas do possess venom, the vast majority of tarantula-related injuries occur as a result of urticating hairs. This activity outlines the evaluation and treatment of tarantula-related injuries and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in evaluating and treating patients injured by tarantulas."
