ATLANTA -- A body was found Friday in the wheel well of a Delta plane after it landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Investigators believe the person was a stowaway from Africa.

The Delta flight arrived from Dakar, Senegal just before 9 a.m. Friday morning.

Emergency crews surrounded the plane as soon as it pulled into the gate because the pilots radioed ahead with their concerns and told officials to be on alert. When the pilots radioed ahead, it appeared they had some idea that something was wrong with the landing gear. We’re not yet sure if they had any idea that someone was in the wheel well.

VIDEO: Body Found On Delta Plane

One passenger who was on the international flight had no idea what was going on. “None of us, none of us saw anything like…when we stopped in the car…there was security on board and stuff but everything seemed pretty normal though,” said Mandy Suptoe.

When the international flight landed and was on the Concourse E Gate, Delta officials say a deceased stowaway was found in the aircraft’s wheel well.

Delta employees, who wanted to remain anonymous, tell Channel 2 it appeared the wheels killed the stowaway.

Delta flight 35 was a 9-hour flight and some employees of Delta say it is virtually impossible to survive in the wheel well. They say it’s minus 40 degrees in there and they say the wheels are still turning in flight.

Airport officials say the death did not interrupt operations. The stowaway’s body has been taken to a local funeral home. Local, state and federal authorities are investigating.