A person who stowed away was found deceased in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines aircraft upon its arrival. The incident occurred at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Sunday morning. Maintenance staff discovered the individual in the landing gear after the plane had landed from a European destination. The person was pronounced dead by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers.

American Airlines stated that they are cooperating with law enforcement for the investigation but did not provide further details. Authorities urged anyone with information to contact the police directly or provide anonymous tips through Charlotte Crime Stoppers.

Earlier this year, the bodies of two teenagers were discovered in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue plane at a South Florida airport. The two stowaways, Jeik Aniluz Lusi, 18, and Elvis Borques Castillo, 16, were identified using DNA. They were found during a post-flight inspection at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after the flight arrived from New York’s JFK Airport via the Dominican Republic.

JetBlue referred to the security breach as a tragic situation, highlighting the dangers stowaways face in attempting to enter different countries worldwide. The US Federal Aviation Administration estimated that only 25% of stowaways survive such journeys, as noted by aviation expert Irene King in an interview with the BBC.

One individual, Themba Cabeka, survived an 11-hour flight from Johannesburg to London by hiding in the undercarriage of a British Airways plane. He recounted his experience in a Channel 4 documentary, describing the extreme conditions and risks involved in such attempts. Tragically, his companion did not survive the journey, falling from the plane mid-flight. Themba, now known as Justin, sustained injuries but managed to survive and now resides in Liverpool.