A cargo plane on its way from New York to Liege in Belgium was forced to return to the US after a horse broke loose in the hold. The plane had to discharge 20 tons of fuel over the Atlantic in order to be able to return safely.
The Air Atlanta 747 had taken off from JFK with a horse in a horse box, but 30 minutes into the flight the animal managed to escape from the box. Crew attempted to restrain the animal and return the horse to its box but in vain.
Back at JFK a vet came on board to treat the horse that had injured itself during its escapade. How the animal was able to escape from its box is unclear, but it was able to run loose in the hold until the plane’s return to terra firma.