Passenger 'stung by scorpion' on United Airlines flight

A "scorpion" fell from an overhead locker and stung a man on a United Airlines flight, the company has said.

According to reports, a male passenger on a United flight from Houston to Calgary was stung by what appeared to be a scorpion.

United told CNBC that the flight crew were alerted to the incident and consulted with a physician on the ground.

The man's injuries were not life threatening.

The incident, which happened on Sunday, came to light in the week that a doctor was injured as he was dragged off an overbooked United Airlines plane.

Dr David Dao was released from hospital on Wednesday night, three days after he was removed from the flight with such force that he was reportedly knocked out and left with blood streaming down his face.

In 2011, a male passenger was stung by a scorpion while trying to sleep on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Anchorage.