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A stowaway was found dead on Sunday morning inside the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines flight. Police in Charlotte, North Carolina, are investigating the case.
File Image Of American Airlines Flight (Reuters)
A stowaway was found dead in the landing gear of an American Airlines flight. The boy was recovered at around 9 a.m. on Sunday while the crew was performing maintenance on the Boeing 777 plane. The body was found on a flight that arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Europe.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the man was declared dead at the scene by the airport division officers.
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“On Sunday, September 28, shortly after 9 a.m., while performing maintenance on an American Airlines plane that had recently arrived from Europe, a stowaway was located in the landing gear. The subject was pronounced deceased on scene by CMPD’s Airport Division officers,” a statement from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police reads.
No Indications Of Foul Play
As per the local reports, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department initiated a death investigation, with preliminary findings suggesting hypoxia or hypothermia as the cause, and no indications of foul play.
In a statement to ABC News, American Airlines said, “We are working with law enforcement on its investigation.”
Charlotte Airport authorities said they were aware of the incident. “We are deeply saddened by this news and will support the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) investigation as needed. Airport operations continue as normal,” the airport added.
This is the second incident of stowaway death in the United States in 2025.
As per a report by CNN, most stowaways result in fatalities, with the Federal Aviation Administration estimating more than 77% end in deaths.
A week ago, a 13-year-old boy from Afghanistan was found roaming on a tarmac in India after hiding in the landing gear of a plane that had travelled roughly 90 minutes from Kabul to Delhi. He was later repatriated to Afghanistan the same day.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
September 29, 2025, 14:58 IST
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