Body found in wheel well of United plane on arrival in Maui on Christmas Eve
“At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well.”
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“At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well.”
On Christmas Eve, a dead body was found in the wheel well of a flight from Chicago to Maui. The body has not yet been identified. The flight arrived in Maui after leaving Chicago's O'Hare. Prior to that, the plane had flown from Sao Paulo directly to Chicago.
A spokesperson for United Airlines said that a body was found in the wheel well of the landing gear of a United Airlines Boeing 787-10 upon arrival at Kahului Airport in Maui on Tuesday.
"The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well," said a United spokesperson.
Low oxygen levels in wheel wells and extreme temperatures during flight make the odds of survival in those areas of commercial aircraft rare; in fact, 77% of people that have attempted this have died, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, reported by Newsweek.
According to Fox News, Flight 202 departed O’Hare Airport at 9:30 am on Tuesday, Dec 24, and landed at Maui’s Kahului Airport at 2:12 pm local time. There was a 4 hour layover in Chicago.
The United spokesperson said the airline is working with local law enforcement in Maui on the investigation. "The Maui Police Department is currently conducting an active investigation regarding a deceased individual discovered on an incoming flight from the mainland this afternoon. At this time, no further details are available," said local police.
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