Scorpion Stings Flier on Alaska Air

An Oregon man flying to Alaska got a nasty sting on his arm during lunch, and was shocked to find a scorpion crawling on his skin. "In the movies, scorpions kill people," said Jeff Ellis, 55. "I was nervous, on edge, making sure that my heart was beating normal." Emergency responders were told to prepare for Ellis the minute he landed in Anchorage. But Alaska paramedics, who have no experience with scorpions, had no idea how to prepare. "They had to Google it," said Ellis. Scorpion stings aren't often deadly, but can trigger a lethal allergic shock, notes AP. The scorpion likely climbed aboard during a landing in Texas. Ellis survived with no ill effects. The scorpion was squished. The airline gave Ellis 4,000 free miles and a round-trip ticket. (More airline stories.)