Plane forced to make emergency landing after baggage handler gets stuck in baggage hold

A plane was forced to make an emergency landing - after a baggage handler got stuck in the cargo hold.

Alaska Airlines Flight 448 was flying from Seattle, Washington, to Los Angeles, California, when the captain heard a banging noise shortly after take off.

He returned to Seattle whereupon the employee was found.

A statement from the airline said: "The aircraft was in the air for 14 minutes.

"After landing, the ramp agent was found inside the front cargo hold, which is pressurized and temperature controlled.

"The ramp agent appeared OK, and was transported to the hospital as a precaution.

"We are actively investigating the matter."

Seattle-based TV journalist Henry Rosoff shared a photo on Twitter of ground crew members rescuing the trapped baggage handler.