Alaskan Airlines does emergency landing after crew member heard inside cargo area

Seattle, Wash. — Alaska Airline officials say a ramp agent inside the cargo hold led to an emergency landing shortly after takeoff from Seattle airport.

The pilot of Air Alaska flight 448 bound for L.A. reported hearing banging and screaming from beneath the plane.

He declared an emergency landing and returned to Seattle airport.

The airline said a ramp agent told first-responders he was taking a nap inside the front cargo hold and woke up when the plane took off.

The cargo hold is heated and pressurized, but he was taken to the hospital as a precaution.