New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- A holiday flight operated by KLM was cancelled after passengers spotted a rat running through the aircraft cabin, forcing airline authorities to ground the plane and carry out a thorough cleaning.

The incident occurred on a KLM flight travelling from Amsterdam to Aruba, which was scheduled to continue onward to the Caribbean island of Bonaire. According to multiple reports, passengers onboard noticed a rat scurrying through the cabin, triggering concern among travellers and crew, the Fox News reported.

Those waiting to board the onward Aruba-Bonaire leg were later informed that the flight had been grounded and eventually cancelled due to the incident.

Confirming the development, a KLM spokesperson described it as ...