Two bodies were discovered in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, according to the Associated Press. Authorities found the bodies on Monday night during a routine post-flight inspection in the wheel well area.
The aircraft had arrived in Fort Lauderdale around 11 p.m. from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. JetBlue confirmed that the discovery was made during standard maintenance procedures.
“At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” JetBlue said in a statement. “This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.”
Paramedics from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office declared both individuals dead at the scene on Tuesday. The sheriff’s homicide and crime scene units are leading the investigation, though the names of the deceased have not been released.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar case in late December when a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines aircraft. The aviation industry has also faced challenges with unticketed passengers gaining access to flights.
In November, a Russian national boarded a Paris-bound Delta Air Lines flight without a ticket, bypassed security, and was arrested upon arrival in France. Another incident occurred on Christmas Eve when an unticketed passenger was discovered on a Delta flight from Seattle to Honolulu.