A stowaway arrived in the landing gear of American Airlines flight 1182 at Miami International Airport Saturday after traveling from Guatemala.
Video from Only in Dade shows the man sitting on the ground as airport personnel tried to aid him and give him water.
The man survived the trip, a flight of about two hours and thirty minutes, and witnesses said he was unharmed.
“As of February 2021, 129 people have attempted to stow away in the wheel wells or other areas of commercial aircraft worldwide since 1947. Of those, 100 people (approximately 78%) died of injuries or exposure during the flight,” an FAA spokesperson said in a statement.
“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,” a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement. “The individual was evaluated by Emergency Medical Services and taken to a Hospital for medical assessment. Persons are taking extreme risks when they try to conceal themselves in confined spaces such as an aircraft. This incident remains under investigation.”
Immigration attorney Angel Leal said the man will now be detained by authorities.
“He’ll be detained by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection,” Leal said.
Leal also says the man may be facing an expedited order of removal.
“And then at that point, if he’s in fact a person who’s trying to flee persecution and who wants to request asylum,” Leal said. “He’ll be afforded the opportunity for a credible fear interview before an asylum officer, but more than likely he’ll be detained during that process.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.