'Houdini' Never Found

A mouse named 'Houdini' by Swiss International personnel was known to have escaped from his transport cage on the flight from Boston to Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday.

His ultimate destination was to have been a lab in Mexico; but 'Houdini' didn't like his odds. Somehow, he slipped the surly bonds of his container, and remained, employees were certain, aboard the airplane.

Swiss was sorried that 'Houdini' might make a meal out of something important (wiring, hydraulic lines, or perhaps baggage) on the next flight, so the airline determined he had to be 'neutralized.'

If 'Houdini' were still aboard, he might be lured out with food; or he might become food for a team of cats, imported for the express purpose of engineering 'Houdini's' demise.

After discussing various scenarios, though, Swiss just pumped the luggage compartment full of carbon dioxide, and kept it sealed up for 24 hours. The plane missed its next flight, a round trip to New York, as an anxious anti-mouse unit waited. When the time was up, the compartment was searched -- and 'Houdini' was not found inside. Either he's escaped again, or he's going to spend eternity, unavailable for comment.

FMI: www.swiss.com