Kanpur: An IndiGo Airlines flight from Kanpur to Delhi was delayed by nearly three hours on Sunday after a rat was spotted inside the aircraft, prompting a full evacuation of 140 passengers and a prolonged search operation.

The flight, scheduled to depart at 2:55 pm and arrive in Delhi by 4:10 pm, had already completed boarding when a passenger reported seeing a rat moving inside the cabin. The airline crew were immediately alerted, and all passengers were safely disembarked as a precaution.

Airport authorities launched a thorough search of the aircraft, which lasted approximately one and a half hours. Only after ensuring the aircraft was safe did the airline allow reboarding.

The flight eventually took off from Kanpur at 6:03 pm and landed in Delhi at 7:16 pm.

Speaking to NDTV, Kanpur Airport media in-charge Vivek Singh confirmed the incident and the evacuation, emphasising that passenger safety remained the top priority.

While no injuries or damages were reported, the unusual delay caused considerable inconvenience to passengers and staff. IndiGo has not yet issued an official statement regarding how the rodent may have entered the aircraft.