The body of a person was recently discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane in Hawaii. The incident took place on Christmas Eve and has shocked people. While the incident is currently under investigation, here are all the details.
For the unversed, a wheel well is a recessed compartment situated on the underside of an airplane. It is a space made for the reception of the wheels of the retractable gears that are used in landing.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the space where the retractable gears are placed in the plane is the most common hiding place used by stowaways. However, these stowaways often get crushed as there is little room for a person.
Moreover, the oxygen levels decline rapidly as the flight reaches higher altitudes. The conditions also worsen as the temperature outside an aircraft can drop as low as 75 or 80 degrees below zero immediately. More than 77% of people who have illegally boarded a plane by hiding in such places have ended up dead, per the agency.
How did the person enter the wheel well of the United Airlines plane?
According to Flight Aware, the United Airlines plane had previously flown from Sau Paulo to Chicago. Following a layover of about four and a half hours, it left from O'Hare to Maui, Hawaii.
In a statement to CNN, the airline revealed that the body was found after the flight arrived at Kahului airport.
"Upon arrival at Kahului airport in Maui on Tuesday, a body was found in the wheel well of one of the main landing gears on a United aircraft."
"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."
While it is unclear how the person entered the Boeing 787-10, the incident is still under investigation. The airline is cooperating with law enforcement authorities to solve the case.
According to CBS, Maui Police has confirmed that they are actively carrying out an investigation. Their statement read:
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"The Maui Police Department is currently conducting an active investigation regarding a deceased individual discovered on an incoming flight from the mainland this afternoon. At this time, no further details are available."
The person who was found deceased in the aircraft has not been identified yet. More details about the incident are awaited.
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