Mouse jumped out of a woman's airplane food and led to the diversion of an SAS flight

A Scandinavian Airlines passenger had an unpleasant surprise when a live mouse scurried out upon opening her in-flight meal.

The unhygienic incident led to an emergency landing of the flight on Wednesday, September 17, the airline told the news agency AFP, according to the BBC.

Airline spokesman Oystein Schmidt said the rodent posed a “security risk” to travelers flying from Oslo, Norway, to Malaga, Spain. The plane was diverted to Copenhagen.

The passengers later travelled on another plane to their original destination, Malaga.

One of the passengers on board, Jarle Borrestad, reported his experience with the furry intruder in a Facebook post.

“Believe it or not, a lady next to me here at SAS opened the food and a mouse jumped out. Now we have turned around and landed in CPH [Copenhagen Airport] for flight changes,” Borrestad wrote.

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Finding a mouse on an airplane is “something that happens extremely rarely,” said Schmidt.

Another Scandinavian Airlines spokesperson told PEOPLE: “We performed a normal landing in Copenhagen to change aircraft and catering – which is a completely normal procedure when a rodent is found on board.”

“In these cases, we must follow very clear procedures, including a full inspection of the aircraft and all of our suppliers' processes to determine what needs to be improved or changed to avoid scenarios like this,” the statement continued. “That inspection and investigation are now underway.”

An article on the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) website points out that mice can chew through electrical wiring in airplanes. Partially chewed wires, which are harder to detect, can cause short circuits and pose a fire hazard.

AOPA adds, “When mice live on an airplane, it's not just their home, but… er… their bathroom too. That's beyond gross. Mouse urine attacks metal, and their droppings can act as an anti-desiccant, retaining moisture and causing water corrosion.”

“If you see a mouse in the hangar, the correct response is to take immediate action,” the article advises.