Two bodies found in JetBlue plane's wheel well at Florida airport

The incident follows a similar occurrence two weeks ago when a body was found in wheel well of United Airlines flight.

Two people were found dead in the wheel well of a JetBlue flight after it landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, the airline confirmed on Tuesday. The bodies, which remain unidentified, were found on Monday night in the landing gear compartment of the aircraft.

The discovery, made during a routine post-flight inspection, raises concerns over airport security as it marks the latest in a series of disturbing stowaway incidents.

The plane had arrived from John F Kennedy International Airport in New York as Flight 1801. The circumstances surrounding how the individuals accessed the aircraft are still under investigation.

"A gate technician in the landing gear area noticed two males who appear to be Signal 7, advised they are not moving in the landing gear area," a person was recorded saying on the Broward County Sheriff’s Office radio, with "Signal 7" being law enforcement code for a deceased person.

Carey Codd, a spokesperson for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, stated, “The individuals who are deceased are both males. Beyond that, their identities at this time are unknown."

The bodies were reportedly badly decomposed. The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct autopsies to determine the cause of death.

The discovery did not affect airport operations, as passengers had already deplaned. Broward County Aviation Department spokesperson Arlene Satchell confirmed that the investigation was ongoing without disrupting operations.

JetBlue expressed its commitment to working with authorities, saying, “This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.”

The incident follows a similar occurrence two weeks ago when a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has noted that the wheel well is a frequent hiding spot for stowaways, many of whom are unaware of the risks involved, such as low oxygen levels and freezing temperatures at high altitudes.

According to a 2011 FAA report, approximately 80% of people attempting to fly in the wheel well or other external compartments of an aircraft do not survive.

Recent stowaway incidents have heightened concerns over airport security. Last month, a woman boarded a Delta flight at JFK and made it to Paris before being arrested. Later, a stowaway was discovered on a Delta flight departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

“This keeps happening. People are getting onto the airport property and getting into an aircraft, and it poses a huge security danger for the aircraft,” said Mary Schiavo, former Inspector General at the Department of Transportation, adding, “These people were apparently just trying to get some place, but it could have easily been someone attempting to attack aviation.”