7-foot snake stows away on couple's boat in the Florida Keys

Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A Chicago couple traveling through the Florida Keys in their boat ended up calling the police when they found a surprising stowaway: a 7-foot Burmese python.

Jim Hart and Sandy Skwirut said they were docked at Rose Marina in Marco Island, when they found a snake had apparently slithered aboard the previous night near Indian Key, on the edge of the Everglades, and was hiding in their boat's shower.

Marco Island police safely captured the snake and turned it over to a local wildlife handler.

Rose Marina said in a Facebook post that the unusual incident was a first for the marina.

"Out of an abundance of caution the vessel was removed from the marina," the post said.