Authorities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, are investigating a tragic discovery aboard a JetBlue Airways flight after two bodies were found in the aircraft’s landing gear compartment.
The bodies were discovered during a routine inspection after the Airbus A320 landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday night.
The flight, JetBlue 1801, had originated from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) before arriving in Fort Lauderdale at 11:03 p.m.
JetBlue issued a statement expressing grief over the situation: “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.”
Broward Sheriff’s deputies, along with a medical examiner, are working to determine the identities and circumstances of the deceased.
ALSO READ: US: Users slam $3.85 payment from Verizon’s $100m settlement
Preliminary reports from the Jamaica Observer suggest the two individuals might be Jamaican nationals, though this has not been independently verified by CBS News Miami.
The Airbus A320 operated at a cruising altitude of approximately 38,000 feet for the two-hour, 43-minute flight from New York. Temperatures in New York on Monday night were extremely cold, making survival in the landing gear compartment unlikely.
Pilots typically perform a walk-around inspection of the aircraft before each flight, which includes checking the wheel wells.
However, in this case, the individuals were not detected.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
