Scorpion Stings United Airlines Passenger During Flight
(CBS News) -- It's been a bumpy PR ride for United Airlines, but this one really stings.
A passenger was traveling on board Flight 1418 from Calgary to Houston when he was stung by a scorpion, CBS News correspondent Kris Van Kleave confirmed.
The scorpion fell onto Richard Bell's head and stung him underneath his fingernail.
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"We were on the plane about an hour, having dinner, and then something fell on my head, so I grabbed it. I was hanging onto it," Bell said in a Skype interview. "It was lucky that it hit my nail more than my skin I think, so maybe my thumbnail saved me a little bit."
United apologized and offered Bell and his wife a credit for a future flight.
As a precaution, crews also checked the airplane for a possible infestation.
"Our crew immediately consulted with a MedLink physician on the ground who provided guidance throughout the incident and assured our crew that it was not a life-threatening matter. Medical personnel met the aircraft after it arrived in Calgary," United said in a statement.
The offending arachnid was euthanized and disposed of.
The incident happened on Sunday, the same day passenger Dr. David Dao was forcibly removed from a United flight in Chicago.
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