Body Found in Wheel Well of United Airlines Plane After Flight to Hawaii
Investigation Underway After Discovery on Christmas Eve Flight
Hawaii officials are investigating a tragic discovery made on Christmas Eve after a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane that flew from Chicago to Maui. The body was discovered upon the plane’s arrival at Kahului Airport in Maui on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement to CNN, United Airlines confirmed that the body was found in the wheel well of a Boeing 787-10 aircraft. The flight, designated UA202, had arrived on time and was on schedule according to flight tracking service FlightAware.com.
Discovery Details
The body was located in the wheel well of the main landing gear, which is only accessible from the outside of the aircraft. United Airlines has stated that it is unclear how or when the person accessed the wheel well. The airline is working closely with local law enforcement to assist in the investigation.
The Maui Police Department is currently investigating the incident, although they have not yet provided additional details.
Cause of Death and Circumstances Unclear
At this time, it remains uncertain how the individual ended up in the wheel well or how they died. While the exact cause is still being determined, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Hiding in a plane’s wheel well is a known but extremely dangerous method used by stowaways in their attempts to hitch illegal rides on aircraft.
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The Dangers of Stowing Away in a Wheel Well
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that more than 77% of stowaways attempting to hide in wheel wells do not survive the journey. The space inside the wheel well is incredibly cramped, often smaller than a car’s trunk, and during takeoff and landing, the landing gear retracts, which can cause stowaways to be crushed.
The challenges become even more dangerous during flight. As planes reach high altitudes, oxygen levels drop significantly, and stowaways struggle to stay conscious. Temperatures outside the aircraft can plummet to as low as 75 to 80 degrees below zero, risking severe frostbite and hypothermia.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the extreme risks stowaways face when attempting such perilous and illegal methods of travel.
