A serious incident occurred on an Arkia flight from Israel to Greece after bags containing rat pups were discovered in a service cart loaded onto the aircraft.
The discovery was only made after the plane landed in Greece while parked on the ground, prompting an investigation into how the incident occurred.
Arkia said the source of the problem was a cart supplied by the catering company Tamam. The airline said it views the incident seriously and has demanded a full investigation into how such a situation could have occurred on its aircraft.
According to Arkia, the cart was provided by Tamam, which is responsible for preparing, storing and transporting food and service equipment for Israeli and foreign airlines operating at Ben Gurion Airport.
The company said it is conducting an internal review and expects full explanations and corrective steps to ensure a similar incident does not happen again.
Tamam rejected the claims and shifted responsibility back to Arkia. The company said that the cart in question, which reportedly contained only soft drinks, was inspected by both an Arkia crew member and a catering representative before loading and was found to be fully compliant.
“Any attempt to damage the reputation of Tamam, which supplies hundreds of thousands of meals a month and operates under the strictest food safety standards, is unacceptable and will be addressed in court if necessary,” the company said.
Tamam added that the cart was later found to contain rat pups, and that the incident was discovered after the aircraft was already in Greece. It also said Arkia should conduct a thorough investigation into how such an event occurred.
According to preliminary internal findings cited in Israeli media, sealed bags containing rat pups were discovered inside a closed service cart supplied for the flight. A flight attendant also reportedly noticed disposable foam cups with bite marks, suggesting rodent activity inside the equipment.
The report also indicated that an internal investigation is examining several possible explanations, including a potential link to pest control operations conducted at Ben Gurion Airport and at catering facilities under Ministry of Health supervision.
No final conclusions have yet been published.