Overview
- A ground engineer discovered the body inside the landing‑gear wheel compartment of an Air Arabia Airbus A320 that arrived from Tangier on June 16, and the man was confirmed dead at the scene.
- A post‑mortem examination reported to the coroner concluded the immediate cause of death was cardiac arrest following hypoxia and hypothermia caused by the extreme cold and low oxygen in the wheel well.
- West Sussex coroner Joseph Turner opened an inquest on August 25 and recorded he had reason to believe the death was unnatural before adjourning proceedings until February 24, 2027 so further inquiries can take place.
- Sussex Police are leading an investigation and Gatwick Airport has said its emergency services assisted police and the coroner, while authorities have so far been unable to confirm the man’s name or personal details.
- Wheel‑well deaths are rare but serious because the undercarriage exposes stowaways to freezing temperatures and thin air at altitude, a risk that has prompted previous inquests and that may influence airport security and cross‑border ID procedures going forward.