On Tuesday, Sri Lanka's national airline attributed a three-day plane grounding to a rat, causing delays and raising concerns that it could deter investors from the financially troubled carrier.

The stowaway rodent was spotted enjoying the Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A330 flight from the Pakistani city of Lahore on Thursday, triggering an aircraft search to ensure it had not chewed through critical components.

An airline official said the plane had resumed flights but that the grounding had a knock-on effect on the entire schedule.

"The aircraft was grounded for three days at Colombo," an airline official said, declining to be named. "The plane could not be flown without making sure that the rat was accounted for. It was found dead."

Despite the seemingly small intruder, the incident highlights the challenges faced by the state-owned airline, which has been grappling with financial losses and struggles to attract investors. The rat-related disruption adds to the woes of an already beleaguered carrier, prompting concerns about its ability to recover and regain investor confidence.