By leah jones
Airline inspectors found the bodies of two deceased individuals inside the wheel well of a JetBlue aircraft under the code JetBlue 1801 on Jan. 6, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale.
Broward County Sheriff’s Office is still working to identify who the two men were, how they got into the wheel well with the landing gear and from where they entered the aircraft.
Sources say their bodies already began decomposing, suggesting they have been stowed away in the aircraft for multiple flights.
The wheel well of a plane is an opening that stores the landing gear during flight; it opens to deploy the wheels for takeoff and landing. This is where many individuals attempt to sneak onto flights.
The FAA reports that attempting to stowaway in the wheel well is incredibly dangerous. 80% of those who try end up dying due to being crushed, exposure to freezing temperatures mid-air, lack of oxygen, etc.
JetBlue 1801 flew in from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport before the bodies were discovered.
There is no confirmed cause of death for the stowaway individuals but gate technicians suggest they succumbed to exposure during air travel.
This shocking occurrence is not uncommon as a woman’s body was just discovered on Dec. 27, 2024 in the wheel well of a Boeing 787-10 aircraft operated by United Airlines.
At this time, it does not seem any aircraft groundings or other restrictions will take place after this tragic incident.
The bodies within the wheel well did not cause any mechanical issues to the aircraft and it has been recommissioned to continue taking flights.
No passengers were exposed to the sight of the bodies and the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that there is no suspected foul play involving the flight crew.
Local authorities as well as the TSA and FAA are working to return the deceased individual’s remains back to their families once they are identified.
Stowing away in the wheel well of an aircraft is illegal and poses safety risks for passengers. TSA and airline officials are working to strengthen security to prevent more instances like this.