Ponta Delgada (Azores/Portugal) - Hamster outbreak in an Airbus. A curious incident occurred on board an aircraft operated by the Portuguese airline TAP . 132 animals were able to escape.

The rodents took their chance.

An Airbus A320 belonging to Portuguese airline TAP has been stuck at Ponta Delgada airport on the Azores island of São Miguel since Tuesday. As the newspaper"Correio da Manha" reports, 132 hamsters were able to escape from their transport boxes during the flight and happily set about exploring the plane.

The animals' escape was only noticed during baggage handling on the ground. The passengers were unaware of this. After everyone had disembarked, the great hamster hunt began - with moderate success.

Airport staff have been trying to catch the animals for days now. By Saturday, 16 animals were still on the run.

The cute rodents, along with some ferrets and birds, were supposed to go to a pet shop in the Azores. But the hamsters probably had other plans.

The Airbus, which cost around 100 million euros, will remain on the ground until further notice. This is because the sensitive on-board electronics and sharp hamster teeth sometimes get on badly. It is not yet clear whether the Airbus was damaged.

How the hamster escape came about is still completely unclear. According to company sources, the transport boxes did not comply with regulations, reports CM.

As popular as hamsters may be as pets, the rodents have sharp teeth with which they like to nibble. The animals are said to have a particular fondness for TV cables.

However, nasty incidents do occur from time to time. Just a few weeks ago, a tragic incident occurred in Spain when a mother of two was bitten by her own hamster and died as a result.