When an airline flight returns to its departure airport, it’s typically for a mechanical issue. An American Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to New York diverted back to the Argentine capital after passengers heard a mysterious banging noise coming from the cargo hold. However, police couldn’t find a single soul beneath the passenger cabin after the Boeing 777 touched down.
The banging began roughly an hour into the flight about 400 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, according to the View From The Wing, The passengers were told that someone, possibly a baggage handler, was trapped in the cargo hold and banging against the hold’s sides with a blunt object for help. With a chance of a stowaway, the plane was met by a tactical police unit. American Airlines released a statement reading:
On Oct. 31, American Airlines flight 954, with service from Buenos Aires (EZE) to New York (JFK) returned to EZE due to a reported noise in the cargo hold. Upon landing and after a thorough search, it was determined there was no issue. Safety is our top priority and we thank our crew members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.
Attempting to stowaway on a plane is usually a bad idea. The cargo hold and wheel wells aren’t controlled compartments so they become frigid, oxygen-deprived spaces at altitude. Temperatures can reach as low as 80 degrees below zero. In 2022, someone was lucky to survive an 11-hour flight on a Cargolux plane from South Africa to the Netherlands. So yes, start banging away if you ever get trapped in a cargo hold.