Immigrant Hid In Plane's Landing Gear To Catch Flight From Guatemala To Miami

A stowaway from Guatemala survived staying nearly three hours inside the cramped landing gear of an airplane that landed in Miami on Saturday, Nov. 27, surprising experts and authorities on how he stayed alive during the ordeal.

The 26-year-old man, who has remained unidentified to the public, reportedly rode an American Airlines flight from Guatemala City to Miami, hiding inside the landing gear for two hours and fifty minutes until the plane landed, according to the New York Post.

“Poor man. He just got here. Let him sit. Water! Bring water for him,” a man who was recording the video said in Spanish. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

The man, who was wearing jeans, a jacket, and boots, was shortly taken to a local hospital for a health checkup. It does not appear like the man was injured during the flight, and his discovery did not delay any flights coming into and out of the airport, the Miami Herald reported.

“American Airlines flight 1182 with service from Guatemala (GUA) to Miami (MIA), arriving at 10:06 a.m. local time was met by law enforcement due to a security issue. We are working with law enforcement in their investigation,” a statement from American Airlines said.

Customs and Border Protection, as well as other relevant authorities, are currently investigating the situation. They do not know why the man stowed away on the flight in the first place, nor how he was able to survive subzero temperatures or the less-than-breathable air.

“Persons are taking extreme risks when they try to conceal themselves in confined spaces such as an aircraft,” Customs and Border Protection said in a statement. “This incident remains under investigation.”

Security consultant Luis Chinchilla, however, theorized that the stowaway found an area in the plane that had tolerable air, saying that the area where the pets are might’ve had good enough air for him to survive in.

“On airplanes, for example, the luggage area has certain conditions. However, they must also have a part of the compartments where they carry pets, there it is a more tolerable air,” he said. “It is the first time I have heard of a case like this.”