Gatwick Stowaway Inquest
Inquest Confirms Unidentified Stowaway Died From Hypothermia on Flight to Gatwick Airport
Anonymous
Key Points
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A ground engineer spotted a packing strap hanging out of the wheel well before locating the body, suggesting the stowaway was concealed in the landing gear.
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The aircraft involved was an Air Arabia Airbus A320 that had flown from Tangier, Morocco, to Gatwick on 16 June.
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The inquest opened at Horsham Coroner's Court in West Sussex, with coroner Joseph Turner reported as presiding on the case.
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Reports note prior stowaway incidents in UK airports, including a 2022 case of a man found in the undercarriage of a Gatwick-bound TUI flight from Gambia, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.
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The Gatwick incident was reported around 11:30am on 16 June, according to a Gatwick spokesperson cited in the reporting.
An unidentified man died in the wheel well of an Air Arabia plane at Gatwick Airport on June 16, 2026, after being exposed to extreme cold and dangerously low oxygen levels during flight. Mirror reported that a ground engineer discovered the body in the landing gear compartment after the aircraft arrived from Tangier, Morocco. Coroner Joseph Turner ruled the death unnatural, though the man's identity remains unknown.
The inquest heard that Metro the stowaway likely hid in the wheel well before takeoff, with a packing strap hanging from the compartment providing the first clue to his presence. The extreme conditions at altitude — freezing temperatures and minimal oxygen — caused cardiac arrest combined with hypoxia and hypothermia. The case reflects ongoing security concerns at UK airports, with similar stowaway incidents occurring in recent years.
How the Body Was Discovered at Gatwick
A ground engineer noticed something unusual dangling from the aircraft's landing gear when the plane touched down around 11:30am on June 16. Yahoo reported that investigators found an unidentified man concealed inside the wheel compartment. The discovery triggered an immediate investigation and inquest at Horsham Coroner's Court in West Sussex.
Extreme Altitude Conditions Sealed His Fate
The wheel well is one of the most hostile environments on an aircraft. AOL explained that the stowaway faced extreme cold and severely limited oxygen during the two-hour flight from Morocco. At cruising altitude, wheel compartments drop below freezing. Oxygen levels plummet. The combination proved fatal.
Coroner Joseph Turner determined that cardiac arrest triggered by hypoxia and hypothermia caused death. Metro noted that the man likely lost consciousness as oxygen and warmth disappeared. He had no chance of survival once the plane climbed above 10,000 feet.
A Pattern of Stowaway Risks at UK Airports
This is not the first time someone has attempted to stowaway in an aircraft's landing gear at Gatwick. Yahoo reported that in 2022, a man was found in the undercarriage of a TUI flight arriving from Gambia. Airport security experts have raised alarms about gaps in detection systems. Hidden compartments remain difficult to monitor during pre-flight checks.
The man's identity has not been established despite the inquest proceedings. AOL reported that the coroner adjourned the case until February 24, 2027, to allow further investigation. Authorities are working to determine who he was and where he boarded the Air Arabia aircraft in Tangier.
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