Sri Lanka’s national airline found itself in a tailspin on Tuesday, attributing a three-day grounding of one of its planes to an unexpected stowaway: a rat.

The furry intruder was discovered aboard the Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A330 during a flight from Lahore, Pakistan, prompting a thorough inspection to ensure it hadn’t gnawed through vital aircraft components.

An airline official confirmed that the aircraft has since resumed operations but acknowledged the disruptive impact on the overall flight schedule.

“The aircraft was grounded for three days at Colombo,” an airline official said, speaking anonymously. “The plane could not be flown without making sure that the rat was accounted for. It was found dead.”

The state-owned carrier, grappling with financial woes amounting to over $1.8 billion in losses as of March 2023, faces further challenges with three additional aircraft grounded for more than a year out of its fleet of 23. Compounding its troubles, the airline lacks the foreign exchange reserves necessary to cover essential engine overhauls.

Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva expressed concerns that such incidents could deter potential investors eyeing the debt-ridden airline.

Efforts to privatise the airline have faltered despite multiple government attempts, including a previous offer to sell it for a nominal sum of one dollar, which garnered no interest. The International Monetary Fund, which provided Sri Lanka with a $2.9 billion bailout last year, has highlighted state-owned enterprises like the national carrier as significant fiscal burdens.

Once profitable, Sri Lankan Airlines faced a downturn following the termination of a management agreement with Emirates in 2008, stemming from a dispute with then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

As the airline grapples with its rodent-induced setback, the broader question of its financial viability and future ownership remains uncertain amidst mounting fiscal pressures.