Alaska Airlines flight returns after worker trapped in cargo hold

AN ALASKA Airlines flight was forced to turn back after the pilot heard a trapped worker banging inside the plane’s cargo hold.

ALASKA Airlines says a Los Angeles-bound flight has returned to Seattle after the pilot heard a trapped worker banging inside the plane’s cargo hold.

Alaska flight 448 had just taken off on Monday when the banging came from beneath the aircraft. The airline said in a news release the captain immediately returned to Seattle-Tacoma International and declared an emergency for priority landing.

Seattle television station KIRO 7 reporter Henry Rossoff reported the worker had fallen asleep.

Siesta ... Local television says the man fell asleep and needed to be rescued.

After the plane landed a ramp agent was found inside the front cargo hold, which Alaska says is pressurized and temperature-controlled.

The worker appeared OK but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. The airline says it’s investigating.

In a statement the airline said: “Immediately after takeoff, the pilot of Alaska Airlines flight 448, bound for Los Angeles, reported hearing banging from beneath the aircraft.”

“The captain immediately returned to Seattle, declaring an emergency for priority landing. The aircraft was in the air for 14 minutes. After landing, a ramp agent was found inside the front cargo hold, which is pressurised and temperature controlled. The ramp agent appeared OK, and was transported to the hospital as a precaution. We are actively investigating the matter,” the airline wrote on their blog.