South African pilot lauded for safe emergency landing after deadly cobra rears its head in cockpit

South African pilot Rudolf Erasmus has been lauded by flight experts for a safe emergency landing after a highly venomous Cape cobra reared its head in the cockpit mid-flight.

Erasmus, who has been flying for the past five years, maintained his nerve as the cobra slid back under his seat as soon as he saw it.

He was flying a small aircraft with four passengers on Monday morning, from Worcester to Nelspruit.