A Delta Airlines flight on its way from Schiphol airport to Detroit had to turn back an hour after take-off because of a maggot infestation in an overhead luggage compartment, it has been reported.

A Dutch passenger told news agency ANP that “around 10 maggots” fell on a woman who was sitting next to him.

“I noticed the woman was doing something. It turned out she was removing maggots from her seat with a tissue. When she saw me looking she said maggots were dropping down from the overhead compartment. She was quite upset,” the man told the ANP.

On closer inspection, cabin staff discovered that the source of the maggots was bag with rotting fish. “On opening the compartment a dozen or so maggots fell on the woman and the empty chair between us,” the man said.

According to the man, the find prompted some of the other passengers to inspect their own seats for maggots.

The owner of the bag was identified but nothing is known about his identity, the reasons for carrying a bag of rotting fish or how the bag passed through customs, the Independent reported. It is not clear if the passenger was allowed to continue his journey.

Once the plane had returned to Schiphol it was taken out of commission to be “deep cleaned”.