Guatemalan Stowaway Hiding in American Airlines Plane's Landing Gear Survives Flight to Florida
Passengers load onto an American Airlines flight from the Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) to Miami, Florida on November 18, 2021 in Bridgetown, Barbados. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A Guatemalan stowaway hiding in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines plane has survived a flight from his home country to Florida.

The Guatemalan man, who was not identified by the authorities, was turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after he was found in the plane that landed in Miami on Saturday at 10 a.m, the Daily Mail reported. He was also brought to a hospital for a medical evaluation.

Video Shows Guatemalan Stowaway Arrived in Florida

In a statement to Newsweek, American Airlines said the plane was met by law enforcement when it arrived at Miami airport due to a security issue.

A video of the incident posted in the Instagram account of "OnlyinDade" showed the man from Guatemala looked tired. The 26-year-old Guatemalan was also seen unharmed as he sat on the tarmac beside the plane that arrived in Florida.

A ground crew tended to the stowaway and asked if he wanted some water.

"Poor man. He just got here. Let him sit. Water! Bring water for him," the crew said in Spanish, as they asked the Guatemalan how he feels. The video also showed the place where the man from Guatemala hide.

The CBP also confirmed the incident in a statement to the local television station WTVJ.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Miami international airport apprehended a 26-year-old man who attempted to evade detection in the landing gear compartment of an aircraft arriving from Guatemala Saturday morning," the CBP noted.

The agency said the man was evaluated by emergency medical services and taken to a hospital for medical assessment. The CBP added that the incident remains under investigation.

According to reports, the Guatemalan was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital. The footage seemed to show he had an "apparent" frostbites in his fingers.

Miami International Airport spokesperson Greg Chin said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is handling the case of the man from Guatemala. According to reports, the stowaway would be detained by CBP while facing an expedited removal order.

Stowaway From Guatemala Survives Flight to Florida in Landing Gear Compartment

An average commercial flight cruises an altitude between 30,000 and 42,000 feet, with temperatures of -54 F with extremely low oxygen levels.

Strategic security consultant Luis Chinchilla said the part where the landing gear compartment was placed does not have the same pressurization like the area where the passengers stay on the plane.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the Guatemalan stowaway might have survived due to the "hot hydraulic lines in the wheel and initially hot tires" despite the lack of pressurization and personal oxygen equipment.

It was not the first time that a stowaway utilized a landing gear compartment for their escape. FAA revealed that at least 129 people attempted to stow away in the wheel wells and other areas of commercial aircraft since 1947. The agency noted that 100 of these people died due to injuries or exposure.

It can be recalled that Guatemala has accounted for the large portion of some 1.7 million migrants expelled or apprehended by the U.S. border agents over the past year.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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