A person was discovered deceased in the landing gear section of an American Airlines aircraft upon its arrival. The incident occurred at Charlotte Douglas International Airport early on Sunday morning as maintenance personnel were inspecting the plane from Europe. The individual was found within the landing gear area and was confirmed deceased by local authorities.
American Airlines mentioned they are cooperating with the investigation led by law enforcement, withholding further details. Officials urged anyone with relevant information to contact detectives directly or provide anonymous tips to Charlotte Crime Stoppers.
In a previous event this year, two teenagers, Jeik Aniluz Lusi, 18, and Elvis Borques Castillo, 16, were identified as stowaways found in the landing gear of a JetBlue plane at a South Florida airport. DNA testing was used to confirm their identities following their discovery during a post-flight check at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The boys had boarded the plane that arrived from New York’s JFK Airport via the Dominican Republic.
JetBlue expressed sorrow over the tragic incident, highlighting the dangers stowaways face attempting to enter different countries worldwide, with estimates from the US Federal Aviation Administration indicating low survival rates for such journeys.
Irene King, an aviation expert, noted that many stowaways don’t survive their attempts, an assertion supported by the case of Themba Cabeka, a South African man who endured an 11-hour flight from Johannesburg to London by concealing himself in a British Airways plane’s undercarriage. Themba, now known as Justin, recounted his harrowing experience, including the loss of his companion Vale during the journey. Despite sustaining injuries, Justin survived and now resides in Liverpool.