Broward sheriff’s deputies and a medical examiner rushed to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport during the night following the discovery of bodies in an aircraft compartment on a JetBlue Airways plane.
JetBlue released a statement confirming that two individuals were discovered deceased in the landing gear compartment of an aircraft on Monday evening. The bodies were found as part of a routine inspection following the kaircraft’s landing.
JetBlue stated that the investigation is still ongoing regarding the circumstances of how they managed to access the aircraft. The airline expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured that they will closely cooperate with the authorities to determine how such a situation could have occurred.
The airline stated that the plane had last flown as Flight 1801 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
According to Kris Van Cleave, senior transportation correspondent for CBS News, the Airbus A320 took off from JFK on Monday night at 8:20 p.m. Despite the chilly night temperatures in New York, it arrived in Fort Lauderdale just a few minutes behind schedule at 11:03 p.m. The aircraft maintained a cruising altitude of around 38,000 feet during the two-hour and 43-minute journey, as reported by flightradar24.
The Transportation Security Administration reported that the plane started its journey in Kingston, Jamaica. From there, it traveled to JFK in New York, then to Salt Lake City, Utah, before returning to JFK. The plane eventually landed in Fort Lauderdale. On January 5th, after arriving from JFK, it stayed overnight in Kingston.
Before each flight, pilots are required to perform a walk around the plane. One crucial aspect of this inspection is checking the wheel wells. According to Van Cleave, it is possible that the individuals were not immediately visible in this particular case.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has reported that the victims are two males whose identities remain unknown.
According to the Jamaica Observer, the two deceased individuals are believed to be Jamaican nationals. However, CBS News Miami has not verified this information independently.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Foreign Minister of Jamaica, Kamina Smith, addressed the distressing reports on social media platform X. She stated, “We are aware of the distressing reports in the media about the discovery of two deceased individuals in the wheel well of an aircraft in Fort Lauderdale. Although there is speculation about the nationalities of the individuals, we have been informed that the authorities are still investigating this matter and the official confirmation of their identities is pending.”
Broward Sheriff’s crime and homicide detectives are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding their presence in the wheel compartment. The Medical Examiner’s Office in the county will conduct autopsies to ascertain the cause of their deaths.
JetBlue passenger Steve Daoust expressed his concern over the security breach that occurred during his flight. He questioned whether the incident was a result of the large number of passengers traveling during the holiday season, but emphasized that such breaches should never occur.
According to Van Cleave, the wheel well is usually not pressurized or heated, and the temperatures at high altitudes are extremely cold. Those who decide to hide in the wheel well like this are almost always risking their lives.
During the holiday season in Hawaii, a strikingly similar incident occurred. After the United Airlines flight from Chicago touched down in Maui, a lifeless body was discovered in the wheel well of the aircraft. The perplexing aspect of this incident is the lack of explanation regarding how the individual managed to gain access to the ramp.
JetBlue Airways, with its headquarters situated in Long Island City, Queens, New York, also maintains a field office at Orlando International Airport.
