See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:46 BST, 25 August 2026 | Updated: 16:43 BST, 25 August 2026
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 on the morning of June 16 after the stowaway was discovered unresponsive by a ground engineer.He was located in the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia plane that had arrived from Tangier, Morocco when the airport worker spotted a packing strap hanging down.A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be cardiac arrest, followed by hypoxia and hypothermia.West Sussex Brighton and Hove Area Coroner Joseph Turner opened the inquest at the coroner's court in Horsham on Tuesday for the unknown casualty.The coroner said conditions inside the wheel compartment would have been extremely cold and that there would have been a lack of oxygen.Mr Turner formally opened the inquest on the basis he had 'reason to believe this death was unnatural'. Emergency services were called to Gatwick (pictured/file image) on the morning of June 16 after the stowaway was discovered unresponsive by a ground engineer The undercarriage of a large commercial jet aircraft is pictured (file image). The coroner said conditions inside the wheel compartment would have been extremely coldAt the time of the incident, London Gatwick said: 'London Gatwick's emergency services attended an Air Arabia aircraft just after 11.30am on Tuesday June 16 2026 when 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.'The hearing was told no details of the man's name, date of birth, place of birth, address, occupation or marital status have been established. The inquest was adjourned until February 24 2027.
