SAAB SF340 FLT CREW HAS UNAUTH HAZMAT DURING FLT.

Narrative

WHILE BOARDING OUR FLT; THE CAPT NOTICED THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN BOTTLES BESIDE THE LUGGAGE THAT WAS BEING LOADED ONTO THE ACFT. AT THAT TIME; THE GATE AGENT FOR THE FLT HAD BOARDED THE ACFT AND ENTERED THE FLT DECK TO ASK ME ABOUT WT AND BAL FOR THIS FLT TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PAX AND BAGS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ON THIS FLT. THE CAPT ASKED THE GATE AGENT IF THE OXYGEN BOTTLES WERE BEING LOADED ONTO OUR FLT AND THE GATE AGENT RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY THAT THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE CARGO ON OUR FLT. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY AND EMPHATICALLY RESPONDED THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WERE THOSE BOTTLES TO BE PLACED ONTO OUR AIRPLANE AS WE ARE NOT AUTH TO CARRY HAZMATS IN OUR OPS SPECS. THE GATE AGENT RESPONDED THAT HE WOULD LET THE GND CREW KNOW AND HAVE THE BOTTLES REMOVED FROM THE CARGO. THE GATE AGENT THEN FINISHED ASKING ME ABOUT THE AVAILABLE PAYLOAD FOR PAX AND BAGGAGE AND LEFT THE ACFT. A FEW MINS LATER; HE RE-BOARDED THE AIRPLANE TO GIVE ME UPDATED NUMBERS FOR PAX AND BAGS AND THE CAPT; AGAIN; ASKED HIM; 'WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THOSE OXYGEN BOTTLES?' THE GATE AGENT REPLIED; JOKINGLY I THOUGHT; 'OH; WE THREW THEM IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE.' THE CAPT; PERTURBED; IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED; 'NO! THEY HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF THE PLANE NOW!' THE GATE AGENT CHUCKLED AND SAID; 'EASE UP; MAN. I'M JUST KIDDING YOU. THEY TOOK THEM OFF THE PLANE. WOW; IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO GET A RISE OUT OF YOU TONIGHT.' THE CAPT RE-EMPHASIZED; 'I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE KIDDING. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THOSE OXYGEN BOTTLES AREN'T ON THIS PLANE.' THE GATE AGENT THEN GAVE ME THE UPDATED PAX AND BAG LOAD INFO AND LEFT THE PLANE. THE GND CREW FINISHED LOADING THE AIRPLANE AND THEN PASSED US THE LOAD SHEET. THE LOAD SHEET PLAINLY STATED THAT THERE WERE PAX AND LUGGAGE ABOARD THE ACFT AND NO OTHER CARGO. IT ALSO CLRLY HAD THE HAZMATS BOX CHKED; 'NO.' UPON LNDG; THE RAMP WORKER WHO UNLOADED THE PLANE CAME ABOARD THE PLANE AND ASKED US IF WE WERE AWARE THAT THERE WERE 2 OXYGEN CONTAINERS IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. WE WERE AMAZED AND SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT AFTER SUCH EMPHATIC DEMANDS THAT THE BOTTLES BE REMOVED AND AFTER BEING REASSURED BY THE GATE AGENT THAT THEY HAD; IN FACT; BEEN REMOVED; THAT THE GND CREW HAD ACTUALLY PLACED THE OXYGEN BOTTLES IN OUR CARGO COMPARTMENT AND HAD MADE NO ENTRY TO THAT EFFECT ON OUR LOAD SHEETS. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE COMPANY TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE VIOLATION.