Two people have been found dead in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue flight that had landed in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport in Florida.
The bodies onboard the flight that departed from JFK Airport in New York were said to have been discovered on Monday evening during a ‘routine’ post-flight maintenance check.
The bodies were found in the plane’s landing gear compartment, the airline told MailOnline. Officials are investigating how the individuals got onto the plane.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and medical examiners were seen outside the airport as officials began to investigate the deaths.
The identities of the deceased also remain under investigation.
Two people have been found dead in the aircraft compartment of a JetBlue flight
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and medical examiners were seen outside the airport as officials carried out their investigation
The plane, (pictured) operating flight 1801, departed JFK Airport Monday just before 8pm, flight tracking data showed. The aircraft landed in Fort Lauderdale three hours later. It is unclear at exactly what time officials found the bodies in the landing gear compartment
The incident has not impacted operations Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, an airport spokesperson has confirmed
The plane, operating flight 1801, departed JFK Airport Monday just before 8pm, flight tracking data showed.
The aircraft landed in Fort Lauderdale three hours later. It is unclear at exactly what time officials found the bodies in the landing gear compartment.
JetBlue told DailyMail.com: ‘On Monday evening, January 6, at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, two individuals were found in the landing gear compartment of one of our aircraft during the routine post-flight maintenance inspection.
‘Tragically, both individuals were deceased. At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation.
‘This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.’
The deaths have not impacted operations Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, an airport spokesperson has confirmed.
On Christmas Eve, a body was found in the wheel well of this United Boeing 787-10 that had flown from Chicago to Kahului Airport in Maui
They bear an eerie similarity to another tragic incident in Hawaii on Christmas Eve.
That saw a dead body discovered on the wheel of a United Airlines jet that had flown to Kahului Airport in Maui from Chicago.
The body – which has still not been identified – was discovered on the wheel well of the Boeing 787-10.
United said at the time that it was unclear how the person had gained access to the wheel well.
It is unclear if the Fort Lauderdale and Hawaii deaths are in any way linked, or if the Hawaii incident may have inspired the Fort Lauderdale tragedy.
Anyone stowing away in the wheel well of an airplane faces prolonged temperatures that sit well below freezing while the airplane cruises at close to 40,000 feet.
Migrants have previously died or survived stowing away in the wheel well of planes to travel from Asia or Africa to European countries.
But both recent incidents happened within United States airspace, with victims not intending to cross any international borders.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk