An unidentified man found dead in the wheel compartment of a plane froze to death during a flight from Africa to Britain, an inquest has heard.
Emergency services were called to Gatwick Airport on the morning of June 16 after a ground engineer discovered the stowaway unresponsive. The man was found in the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia plane that had arrived from Tangier, Morocco. An airport worker spotted a packing strap hanging down from the compartment.
A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death to be cardiac arrest, preceded by hypoxia and hypothermia. Conditions inside the wheel compartment are known to be extremely cold and lacking oxygen.
West Sussex Brighton and Hove Area Coroner Joseph Turner opened the inquest for the unknown casualty on Tuesday at the coroner's court in Horsham. He stated that he had "reason to believe this death was unnatural."
No details regarding the man's identity, such as his name, date of birth, place of birth, address, occupation, or marital status, have been established.
London Gatwick confirmed that its emergency services attended an Air Arabia aircraft shortly after 11:30 a.m. on June 16, 2026, after an incident was identified upon arrival. "As Sussex Police have confirmed, a body was found. Our teams subsequently supported Sussex Police and the coroner. Our thoughts are with everyone affected," a spokesperson said.
The inquest was adjourned until February 24, 2027.