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Home / Travel

Shocking moment stowaway found after American Airlines flight

By Kate Schneider
news.com.au·
28 Nov, 2021 05:10 PM3 mins to read

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A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram

A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram

Footage has emerged of the shocking moment a man was allegedly found in the landing gear of a plane after a flight.

The video was reportedly taken from an American Airlines flight and shows a 26-year-old man being given water by an airport worker before being taken away from the airport on a stretcher.

He was taken to hospital.

The man had allegedly been hiding on flight 1182 from Guatemala to Miami. The footage was taken by a maintenance worker and had originally been shared by Only in Dade, a Miami local social news site.

During the video a man can be heard saying "the guy was stuck in the engine of the aircraft", followed by "he's alright, he's alright" while making a phone call after the man's discovery.

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A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram
A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram

"This man arrived to MIA in the landing gear of plane from a Guatemala flight [sic]," read a post from Only in Dade.

"The flight was about two hours and thirty minutes and witness says he was unharmed."

"We received this video and spoke to the person that took it, he was very scared and it is unbelievable that someone would survive this," Dan Vasquez from Only in Dade told USA Today.

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"Can you imagine that kind of wind pressure?"

This man arrived to MIA in the landing gear of plane from a Guatemala flight. The flight was about two hours and thirty minutes and witness says he was unharmed😳✈️| #ONLYinDADE pic.twitter.com/qMPP5jjDvb

— ONLY in DADE (@ONLYinDADE) November 27, 2021

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said that officers apprehended the stowaway.

"The individual was evaluated by Emergency Medical Services and taken to a hospital for medical assessment," it said.

"Persons are taking extreme risks when they try to conceal themselves in confined spaces such as an aircraft. This incident remains under investigation."

American Airlines told the UK's Sun there was a security issue.

"American Airlines flight 1182 with service from Guatemala (GUA) to Miami (MIA), arriving at 10.06am local time was met by law enforcement due to a security issue," the airline said in a statement.

"We are working with law enforcement in their investigation."

The man will be detained by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, immigration lawyer Angel Leal said.

A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram
A man stowed away on a flight from Guatemala to Miami International Airport. Photo / onlyindade / Instagram

Many social media users are calling for him to be allowed to stay in America.

"Let him stay," one Twitter user wrote.

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Another said: "He earned his green card."

Others were concerned if he was allowed to stay, others may try such a risky move too.

"I'm leaning towards letting him in and stay since he survived. Of course, that may lead to many others trying and failing."

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