Last update:November 4, 2024, 17:10 IST

Flight 954 had taken off from Ezeiza International Airport at 9:15 p.m. on Thursday bound for New York. The estimated landing time was 6:50 am on Friday.

A strange “thumping noise” was heard at 30,000 feet in mid-flight. (Image credit: X/aviationbrk)

American Airlines (AA) flight AA954 en route from Buenos Aires (EZE) to New York (JFK) was forced to make an unexpected return to its departure destination on October 31. Because? An unusual disturbance was reported among the journey, prompting armed police to board the airline flight. It all reportedly started after a strange “thumping noise” was heard at 30,000 feet. The sound, heard by passengers and crew, was reported to be similar to someone knocking from the cargo hold, leaving everyone on the flight scared.

According to AviationSource News, Flight 954 took off from Ezeiza International Airport at 9:15 pm on Thursday bound for New York. The estimated landing time was 6:50 am on Friday. Reports suggest that everyone on the flight became concerned when they heard the sound, believing that a person was trapped inside the cargo hold. Unsure of what exactly happened, the pilot first announced that the plane was returning to Buenos Aires due to a technical problem. It was later reported that one person was possibly in the sealed cargo area that only houses secured luggage.

A video that appeared on the Internet shows armed police inspecting the cargo hold. As reported by the major Argentine newspaper, Clarín, specialized teams, including the Special Tactical Assault Group (GEAT), the Explosives and Special Weapons Control Group (GEDEX) and specially trained dogs, were deployed to investigate the alarming situation. They were also joined by the National Civil Aviation Administration, PFA firefighters and medical support teams to ensure a smooth investigation.

In a statement, airport security told The Metro: “Noises were heard in the cargo hold, sufficient to raise the suspicion that there was something unusual. The captain reported a safety problem due to hearing noises.”

After the flight returned to the Ministerio Pistarini International Airport and heavily armed forces boarded the aircraft to inspect the place, it was revealed that an individual was involuntarily locked inside the cargo hold, as reported by Aviación A2Z. Identified as an airport employee, the person had been mistakenly locked in during loading. Given the serious consequences of the situation, the individual decided to hit the walls of the cargo with a blunt object, alarming everyone and asking for help.

Contrary to reports, American Airlines, in a post on X, said: “Reports about a person in cargo are not accurate. Flight 954 returned to Buenos Aires due to a reported noise in the cargo hold but, after an extensive search, it was determined that there was no problem. “Our customers will be departing again later today and we apologize for the inconvenience.”

Whether or not there was a person inside the cargo hold remains a mystery.