Emirates confirms rat caused flight cancellation

Emirates airline has confirmed that a flight from Britain to Dubai on June 15, was cancelled because of the presence of a rat on the aircraft, media reported on Monday.

Emirates airline Flight EX038 was prepared for take-off from Britain's Birmingham city to Dubai when the rat was spotted, after which the plane returned to the terminal, reported The National daily.

"Passengers were accommodated in hotels overnight and were re-routed on other available Emirates flights to Dubai," an airline spokesman said.

A video, allegedly of the incident, went viral after the event. However, Emirates said the video was "untrue" and "inauthentic".

"We never confirmed the veracity of the video," the spokesman said, adding the video was filmed on an Emirates flight while the plane was in the air, but EK038 never left ground.

British boxer David Haye, a former world champion, was on-board the plane, when the incident occurred.

"On tarmac and flight got cancelled due to tiny mouse running around cabin. So spending another night. What's hot in Birmingham tonight?" he tweeted.