An unidentified man was discovered dead in the wheel compartment of an Air Arabia flight at Gatwick Airport following its arrival from Morocco in June. A coroner's inquest determined he died from exposure to extreme cold and oxygen deprivation.
A man whose identity remains unknown was found deceased in the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia aircraft at Gatwick Airport on June 16. The discovery was made by a ground engineer conducting routine maintenance checks after the plane arrived from Tangier, Morocco. Emergency services and airport personnel responded to the scene shortly after 11:30 a.m.
According to findings presented at Horsham Coroner's Court, the man died from the combined effects of hypothermia and hypoxia, or severe oxygen deprivation. Coroner Joseph Turner noted that conditions within the aircraft's wheel compartment would have been extraordinarily cold with significantly reduced oxygen levels, creating a fatal environment. A post-mortem examination confirmed that cardiac arrest resulting from these factors was the immediate cause of death.
Turner, who serves as the West Sussex, Brighton and Hove area coroner, classified the death as "unnatural" given the circumstances of how it occurred. Sussex Police worked alongside airport teams and coroner's officials during the initial investigation. Despite investigations following the discovery, authorities have been unable to determine the man's identity.
The inquest proceedings were suspended and are scheduled to resume on February 24, 2027, when further details may emerge regarding how the individual came to be in the compartment and other circumstances surrounding the incident.
