Snakes Bite Two South African Airways Bag Handlers Who Tried Stealing From A Passenger’s Bag
South African Airways
Two South African Airways bag handlers have been bitten to death by four large snakes at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, when they tried stealing from a passenger’s bag.
Fred Ngidi and Samuel Mokone, together with other South African Airways staff, have been stealing items from passengers who fly with South African Airways for a very long time.
On Friday, May 20, 2016, Omar Khalil, an Egyptian zoo operator, traveled on South African Airways Flight 7409 from Cairo to Johannesburg with four large snakes in his checked baggage.
Upon arrival at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Fred Ngidi and Samuel Mokone opened Omar’s bag and tried stealing his personal belongings. Unknown to them that Omar had put four large cobras in his bag as a way of safeguarding his bag, they dipped into the bag, resulting in the snakes biting them mercilessly.
The two were quickly rushed to the Airport Medical Clinic for treatment but unfortunately, they passed away few minutes after been admitted. However, they confessed that they were not the only South African Airways (SAA) staff who engage in such act, but almost all the South African Airways baggage handlers.
In an interview with Johannesburg-based Jacaranda FM, Omar indicated that he intentionally placed the snakes in his bag. According to him, South African Airways staff have been stealing from him all the time and when he lodges official complaints, operators of the airline tell him to leave everything in the hands of Allah. This, he said, made him furious; therefore decided to teach them a very painful lesson.
He said, “South African Airways is notoriously known for stealing from its passengers. After stealing room me for a very long time, I decided to pay them back the hard way. I knew there was no way the SAA staff were going to bypass my bag without opening and stealing from it so I placed four snakes on top of my clothes in the bag. Even though I locked the bag, they broke the padlock and tried stealing from it. The snakes did the magic.”
South African Airways has therefore issued a statement warning its staff to be careful of the kind of bags they steal from.