Two people were found dead inside a plane’s landing gear area Monday night after it arrived at a Florida airport.
It’s not the first time people have died in the wheel well of a plane. Stowaways have hidden in the landing gear area in the past to sneak onto flights.
On Christmas Eve less than a month ago, a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane that flew from Chicago to Hawaii.
Here’s what is known at this time about the deaths in Florida.
2 people found dead in JetBlue plane
Two people were found dead inside the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue commercial airplane that landed Monday evening in Florida, the airline said.
The bodies, which have not yet been publicly identified, were discovered Monday evening during a “routine post-flight maintenance inspection” at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the airline said.
JetBlue flight left from JFK Airport
The JetBlue plane, flight 1801, had flown to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, JetBlue said.
The Airbus A320-232 landed at 11:03 p.m. Monday night, according to Flightradar24, an aircraft tracker.
Who were the people found dead in the JetBlue landing gear?
The bodies have not yet been publicly identified, the airline said.
“At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” JetBlue said. “This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.”
How many people does an Airbus A320 hold?
JetBlue’s Airbus A320 carries 162 passengers.
JetBlue said its Airbus A320 was restyled to include “tech-forward entertainment options and modernized, residential interior design elements to deliver an even more traveler-friendly experience.”
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Entertainment: Free movies, DirecTV
JetBlue flies into 10 Florida airports
Florida cities with JetBlue service include:
Landing gear compartments commonly used by stowaways
While it is unclear whether the people were attempting to stow away on the flight, it’s not uncommon for people to use wheel wells, nose wells and other unpressurized areas to sneak onto aircraft.
Stowaways in the unpressurized wheel houses and cargo holds of planes have to contend with freezing conditions, with temperatures that can reach between minus 58 degrees and minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit, Reuters reported. A lack of oxygen and the risk of being crushed by the plane’s wheels also make the practice often a deadly one.
Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: JetBlue flight landing gear deaths investigated at Florida airport