On Saturday, a 26-year-old man was arrested after hiding in the equipment room of a plane, according to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It writes CNN.
The 26-year-old hid in a room on the underside of an American Airlines jet during a flight from Guatemala City to Miami – which is a 2.5-hour flight.
According to the company, the man is unharmed.
– Extremely high risk
In a video posted on Instagram, you can see that employees of American Airlines hold a seemingly tired man in their arms, just before he sits down on the ground.
The video also shows pictures of the equipment compartment on the underside of the plane on the right wing, in which the man has been staying.
– People are exposed to extremely high risk when they hide in cramped rooms on board aircraft, it is stated in a statement from CBP.
Miami-Dade Fire Department confirms to CNN that they transported the man to a local hospital for medical evaluation.
According to the US Civil Aviation Authority (FAA), 129 people have tried to hide in the wheel wells and elsewhere on commercial aircraft since 1947. Of these, 100 have died as a result of injuries or exposure, according to the agency. It writes The Guardian.
Remanded in custody
According to American Airlines, the plane was met by police after landing due to safety issues. The airline stated on Saturday that they are now cooperating with the American authorities in an investigation.
Immigration lawyer Angel Leal says the man will now be remanded in custody by the authorities.
The Guatemalan blind passenger will be remanded in custody by the Interior Ministry, CBP, at the same time as he is facing an accelerated return order, Leal told the TV channel WTVJ. It writes The Guardian.
According to the newspaper, Guatemalans make up a large proportion of the approximately 1.7 million migrants who have been arrested or deported by US border personnel in the past year – many on the run from violent gangs and extreme poverty.
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