A dead body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane that landed in Maui, Hawaii, on Tuesday, December 24.
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A body was uncovered in the wheel well of the main landing gear on a Boeing 787-10 after the plane landed at Kahului Airport, according to a statement from United Airlines per People.
Flight 202 took off from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport at 9:49 a.m. and touched down in Maui at 2:12 p.m. local time, arriving smoothly per FlightAware.
According to United’s statement, the wheel well can only be accessed from outside the aircraft.
“At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” the airline explained in the statement. They further stated that the company is collaborating with law enforcement to gather more information.
The Maui Police Department has confirmed to Hawaii News Now that they were “conducting an active investigation regarding a deceased individual.”
“At this time, no further details are available,” Maui PD added.
How the Body Came to Be in the United Plane’s Wheel Well Remains Unclear
How the body came to be in the plane’s wheel well or the circumstances surrounding the person’s death remain unknown.
Stowing away in a plane’s wheel well is the most common method used by individuals attempting unauthorized travel by air. However, it is an extremely dangerous endeavor, with over 77% of such attempts resulting in death, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Stowaways often get crushed when the landing gear closes, as there isn’t much space available. Sometimes, even less than the trunk of a car.
At higher altitudes, conditions become increasingly harsh for stowaways. Oxygen levels plummet, making it difficult to remain conscious. Outside the airplane, temperatures can drop drastically, plunging to as low as -75 or -80 degrees Fahrenheit. These extreme conditions severely hinder blood flow, putting stowaways at grave risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
Meanwhile, according to CBS News, this holiday season is set to break records. An estimated 54 million passengers took to the skies over a 19-day span. The travel surge began on Thursday, December 19, and will continue through Monday, January 6.
Airlines anticipate their busiest travel days to fall on Friday, Sunday, and December 26, 27, and 29. In contrast, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are expected to see lighter flight traffic. Notably, Thanksgiving Day holds the distinction of being the least busy air travel day of the year in the U.S.