7-1-2025 (FORT LAUDERDALE) 2 individuals were found deceased in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft following its arrival at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday evening.
The macabre finding occurred during a standard post-flight inspection after the aircraft had completed its journey from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, landing in Florida shortly after 23:00 local time.
Emergency services were summoned to the scene at approximately 23:30, where both individuals were pronounced dead upon discovery. The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, with both their Homicide and Crime Scene units actively involved in examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
A JetBlue spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident whilst emphasising that the identities of the deceased and the manner in which they accessed the aircraft remain under active investigation.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office has commenced work to determine the precise cause of death, though representatives were unavailable for immediate comment. Airport operations remained unaffected by the incident, according to airport officials.
This tragic event follows a similar incident last month involving a United Airlines aircraft in Hawaii, where a body was discovered in the wheel well of a plane arriving from Chicago.
Aviation experts note that such attempts at stowing away in aircraft landing gear compartments often result in fatalities. The Federal Aviation Administration has previously documented that individuals attempting such dangerous ventures face multiple lethal risks, including death from falls, crushing injuries when landing gear retracts, fatal exposure to engine heat, or death from either hypothermia due to extreme cold at high altitudes or hypoxia caused by lack of oxygen.
