Proof of carbon emissions: Flatulent cows and sheep cause planes to make emergency landings

Animal farts set off emergency alarms on planes

A Singapore Airlines plane was forced to make a bizarre emergency landing after noxious gas from a flock of sheep caused the smoke alarms to go off.

According to The Aviation Herald, the Boeing 747-400 cargo plane, carrying around 2186 sheep, was on its way from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur when the crew received a smoke indication coming from the cargo bay, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bali.

The Aviation Herald reported that upon landing, emergency personnel inspecting the aircraft failed to "find any trace of fire, heat or smoke."

Instead, it has been claimed that the "smoke indication was identified to be the result of exhaust gasses and manure produced by the sheep."

Singapore Airlines have since released a statement claiming the flatulence may or may not have caused the emergency landing.

Similarly a Korean Airways cargo flight made an emergency mayday landing at Heathrow airport when the fire alarm on board was triggered over the Irish sea.

Gas masks in place, the crew proceeded to investigate. Instead of a blaze, they found that the 390 sweaty cows in cargo had inadvertently set off the alarm.

Cows produce a high level of methane gas - the second most significant heat-trapping emission. This raised humidity levels inside the aircraft, triggering the alarm.

According to the Daily Mail, "the Korean Airways landing at Heathrow is one of 88 mayday calls reported to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last year. A mayday landing is the highest level of emergency and is rarely used except in the most urgent cases."

Gas protection for sheep dogs coming soon?