A man’s body has been discovered in the landing gear compartment of a passenger aircraft that arrived at London Gatwick Airport from Morocco, authorities have confirmed.
The body was found in the undercarriage of an Air Arabia flight that landed at the airport from Tangier on Tuesday morning.
Emergency services were alerted shortly after the aircraft arrived at around 11:45 a.m. local time. Airport personnel discovered the body during post-flight inspections and immediately contacted police.
Gatwick Airport confirmed the incident in a statement, saying it was assisting Sussex Police and the coroner’s office with ongoing investigations.
Authorities have not yet identified the deceased man, and efforts are underway to determine how he gained access to the aircraft’s landing gear compartment.
Police are treating the case as unexplained while inquiries continue. Investigators are expected to review airport security footage, flight records and other evidence to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Aviation experts note that survival in an aircraft’s landing gear bay is extremely rare due to the freezing temperatures, lack of oxygen and extreme conditions experienced during flight.
The discovery has raised questions about airport security procedures at the departure point, although officials have not indicated whether any security breaches occurred.
Air Arabia has not yet released a detailed statement regarding the incident.
The coroner’s office will work to establish the man’s identity and determine the cause of death as part of the ongoing investigation.
