In Charlotte, North Carolina, the body of a person was discovered in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines plane arriving from Europe. Police have launched an investigation.
A tragic incident occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police announced that on Sunday morning, the body of a person was found in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines aircraft arriving from Europe.
Police stated that the body was discovered while the aircraft was undergoing maintenance after landing. The identity and nationality of the deceased have not yet been disclosed.
An American Airlines spokesperson told CNN affiliate WSOC that the airline is cooperating with police. In a written statement, Charlotte Douglas International Airport said, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic discovery. We will provide full support to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s investigation.” Airport operations reportedly continue as normal.
“An extremely dangerous method”
Experts stress that stowaways attempting to travel by hiding in aircraft landing gear compartments face extreme risks. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, more than 77% of individuals who concealed themselves in landing gear compartments in 2019 died.
Similar recent cases
This incident follows several similar attempts recorded in recent years. Just last week, a 13-year-old Afghan boy was found on the runway in India after stowing away in the landing gear of a flight from Kabul to Delhi. In January, two people were found dead on a JetBlue plane travelling from New York to Florida, and shortly before that, a body was discovered on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui.
