(Source: AP) Authorities have reported a shocking discovery at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where two bodies were found in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft. This grim find occurred on Monday night, specifically in the wheel well area of the plane, as confirmed by the airline in a statement to The Associated Press.
JetBlue explained that the bodies were uncovered during a routine post-flight maintenance check, a standard procedure that ensures the aircraft is safe and ready for its next journey. The plane had just arrived in Fort Lauderdale shortly after 11 p.m., having flown in from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.
“At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” JetBlue’s statement said.
“This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred,” the airline added.
Upon the discovery of the bodies, paramedics were called to the scene, and they pronounced both individuals dead. The Broward County sheriff’s office has taken charge of the situation, with its homicide and crime scene units currently conducting a thorough investigation. As of Tuesday, the identities of the deceased have not been released to the public, pending notification of their families.
This incident is particularly alarming as it marks the second time in a month that a body has been found in the wheel well of an aircraft. In late December, a similar occurrence took place when a body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight after it landed in Maui, Hawaii, having traveled from Chicago.
The recurrence of such incidents raises serious questions about airport security and the dangers faced by individuals attempting to stow away on commercial flights. Numerous accounts exist of stowaways and, on occasion, employees who inadvertently become trapped in various sections of an aircraft prior to takeoff. These individuals often face dire consequences, as they are discovered deceased upon the aircraft’s arrival at its destination. Such tragic incidents highlight the critical need for stringent safety measures and protocols within the aviation industry. Occurrences include:
- Last Christmas, a dead body was found in the wheel of a United Airlines plane after the airline complete a trip from Chicago o’ hare and touched down Kahului airport on the Hawaiian island of Maui. “The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” the company said, adding that it is working with law enforcement on the investigation.
- Reported in Reuters, Jan 7, 2023, were bodies of two young men, presumed from Dominican Republic (unconfirmed), found in the undercarriage of an Avianca airplane during maintenance in Colombian capital Bogota, the airline. “At its arrival to the El Dorado airport in Bogota, personnel from the airline discovered the bodies of two people who flew irregularly (stowaways) in the undercarriage of the airplane,” Avianca said in a statement.
“The technical investigation body of the attorney general’s office is carrying out urgent actions to identify the nationality and origin of the bodies aged between 15 and 20, Afro-descendent, which were found inside the airplane,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement. - Another case reported by BBC, 7- December 2022, was a dead body discovered in the wheel well of a Tui flight from Gambia. The coroner, James Andrews said: “There is no evidence as to how he became to be within the plane.” Sussex Police collaborated with the High Commissioner for The Gambia, Interpol, and HM Coroner to determine the identity of a man thought to be in his 20s or 30s. The direct flight covering the 2,760-mile (4,444 km) distance from The Gambia to the UK typically lasts around six and a half hours.
- And finally, in another article by CNN, Workers at Salt Lake City International Airport were taken aback on New Year’s Day when they stumbled upon a man’s body inside a plane engine. This shocking discovery has sparked an investigation to uncover how he ended up there and the circumstances surrounding his death. According to an airport official, 30-year-old Kyler Efinger managed to access the airport runway by using an emergency exit from the terminal. He then made his way into a restricted area where staff were de-icing aircraft and crawled into an aircraft engine that was not operational, as reported to CNN. Employees found him unconscious and their efforts to revive him were unfortunately unsuccessful.
Authorities periodically conduct thorough investigations into these occurrences to understand the underlying factors that contribute to these unfortunate events. These investigations aim to identify lapses in security, procedural failures, and any other elements that may have played a role in allowing individuals to access restricted areas of the aircraft. By analyzing these incidents in detail, officials hope to develop strategies and implement changes that will help prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Sadly, many of these incidents can often be traced back to inadequate security protocols or negligence on the part of airport personnel. In some cases, the failure to properly monitor access points or to conduct thorough checks of the aircraft before departure can lead to dangerous situations. This negligence not only endangers the lives of those who become trapped but also poses a risk to the safety of all passengers and crew on board.
Nevertheless, it is imperative for all airport staff to remain alert and vigilant in their duties. This includes adhering to established security protocols, conducting regular inspections of aircraft, and ensuring that all areas of the airport are properly monitored. Training programs that emphasize the importance of situational awareness and proactive measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of such incidents occurring.
