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Fort Lauderdale, FL - Two men from the Dominican Republic were found dead in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, prompting an investigation into how they accessed the plane and whether they were attempting to stow away.
Authorities are investigating the discovery of two deceased men in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
On January 6th, during a routine post-flight inspection, maintenance crews found the bodies in the landing gear area of a JetBlue Airbus A320-232.
The aircraft had operated as Flight 1801, arriving from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at approximately 11:10 p.m.
The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) responded to the scene around 11:30 p.m., and paramedics declared both individuals deceased upon arrival.
The identities of the men have not been released, but authorities have confirmed that they were from the Dominican Republic.
The aircraft's recent flight history included routes from Kingston, Jamaica, to New York on January 5th, followed by trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, and back to New York before its final leg to Fort Lauderdale.
It remains unclear at which point the individuals may have entered the aircraft's landing gear compartment.
JetBlue issued a statement expressing their commitment to cooperating with authorities: "This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred."
The Broward County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct autopsies to determine the causes of death.
Investigators are working to ascertain how the individuals accessed the aircraft and whether they were attempting to stow away.
Stowaway attempts in aircraft landing gear compartments are extremely hazardous due to factors such as low oxygen levels and freezing temperatures at high altitudes.
According to a 2011 Federal Aviation Administration report, approximately 80% of such attempts result in fatalities.