Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have confirmed that they found a a stowaway dead inside the landing-gear compartment of an American Airlines jet that landed in Charlotte Douglas International Airport over the weekend.
The “Tragic Incident”
This incident follows American Airlines’ 100th Anniversary.
The body was discovered at 9 am on Sunday, 28 September, in the landing gear of the Boeing 777 during a routine inspection after it landed in Charlotte from Barcelona on Saturday.
Neither the identity nor the nationality of the deceased has been released; however, American Airlines is working alongside law enforcement agencies on an investigation.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport also released a statement:
We are deeply saddened by this news and will support the CMPD investigation as needed.
CMPD said:
The subject was pronounced deceased on the scene by CMPD’s airport division officers
Stowing Away and The Risks
Stowaways on commercial flights are rare occurrences; however, the landing gear is a commonly used hiding place for illegal transportation.
Editors of the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) have highlighted the risks of wheel-well stowaway flights, with individuals in the past travelling to major hubs like London, Miami, New York, Japan and Madrid.
Often these attempts resulted in fatal deaths from falls, being crushed by gear, with some even freezing to death, with altitudes of flights at nearly 40,000 feet, where temperatures reach -70°C.
CMPD have said that the case is active and ongoing, and Charlotte Airport have continued its operations as normal.
This incident highlights the risk of stowing away on an aircraft. Our thoughts are with those affected.
