Snake gets tangled around tailwheel of Coast Guard helicopter in Clearwater

Kaycee Sloan
·1 min read
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Snake gets tangled around tailwheel of Coast Guard helicopter in Clearwater

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CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — You’ve heard of “Snakes on a Plane,” but have you ever heard of a snake being on a helicopter? Well, that was the case for Coast Guard crews in Clearwater.

Last week, the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater found a snake had trespassed onto its chopper.

“This unexpected stowaway was found napping on a Jayhawk tailwheel,” USCG Clearwater wrote in a Facebook post. “He reluctantly departed the scene when confronted 💀😱.”

Photo courtesy Petty Officer 2nd Class Cole Lindvall
Photo courtesy Petty Officer 2nd Class Cole Lindvall

According to the Miami Herald, the red-colored reptile was found on Feb. 9 while Petty Officer 2nd Class Cole Lindvall was doing a post-flight inspection of the MH60 helicopter.

The snake was later identified as a 2-foot-long corn snake. The snake species, which are native to Florida, can grow up to be 4 feet in length and are also referred to as chicken snakes and red ratsnake.

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