London: A crocodile which sparked panic after escaping from a bag inside a plane caused it to crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010, killing 20 persons and leaving just one survivor.
The Sun reported that the airborne animal caused pandemonium on the propeller plane after bursting out of a bag.
Petrified travellers on the Filair Let L-410 flight on August 25, 2010 watched in horror as the reptile ran riot.
The crocodile had escaped from the passenger's carry-on bag just moments before landing, leaving people screaming in terror, the report said.
As the deadly beast ran amok, the holidaymakers stampeded to one side of the tiny plane, throwing it dangerously off balance. Passengers even tried to enter the cockpit during the chaos.
The sole survivor told authorities: "The terrified air hostess hurried towards the cockpit, followed by the passengers."
The plane plummeted due to the dramatic shift in its centre of gravity and reportedly crashed into a home in Bandundu, near to the regional airport, the Sun reported.
The crocodile survived the crash but was killed on the ground with a machete. (UNI)
