Body Found in Wheel Well of United Airlines Plane at Maui Airport

United Airlines

Authorities Investigate Mysterious Discovery After Flight from Chicago

A body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines Boeing 787-10 after it landed at Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii on Tuesday, according to a statement from United Airlines.

Body Discovered After United Flight 202 Lands in Maui

The aircraft, United Flight 202, departed from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on the morning of December 24. Upon landing in Hawaii, airline personnel found the body inside the wheel well of the main landing gear.

Authorities have yet to determine the identity of the deceased individual or how they gained access to the plane.

Plane’s Route Traced Back to Brazil

According to FlightAware, the same aircraft had previously completed a direct flight from São Paulo, Brazil, to Chicago before departing for Maui following a 4.5-hour layover at O’Hare. Investigators are working to establish whether the individual boarded the plane in Brazil, Chicago, or another location.

United Airlines & Law Enforcement Launch Investigation

United Airlines confirmed it is fully cooperating with law enforcement to determine how the person managed to enter the wheel well, which is only accessible from outside the aircraft.

“At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” a United Airlines spokesperson stated.

The Maui Police Department has also launched an active investigation.

“At this time, no further details are available,” authorities said in a statement.

Security Concerns & Past Incidents of Wheel Well Stowaways

This tragic discovery raises serious security concerns, as gaining access to an aircraft’s wheel well is nearly impossible without bypassing multiple security layers.

In the past, there have been rare but deadly cases of individuals attempting to stow away in wheel wells to evade immigration restrictions or travel covertly. However, the extreme temperatures and lack of oxygen at high altitudes make survival nearly impossible.

Authorities will continue investigating this incident to determine whether it was an accident, attempted stowaway case, or another circumstance.

Source: CBS News


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