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Cape Town stowaway found dead at Heathrow Suspected stowaway on British Airways jumbo jet found dead at Heathrow
(about 2 hours later)
The body of a presumed stowaway was discovered on a British Airways plane that arrived at Heathrow from South Africa. The body of a presumed stowaway was discovered on a British Airways plane that arrived at Heathrow from South Africa on Thursday.
The airline said the unidentified man's body was found in the landing gear bay of a Boeing 747. The hiding place would have exposed the man to temperatures as low as 60C below freezing and oxygen deprivation during the 11-and-a-half-hour flight from Cape Town.The airline said the unidentified man's body was found in the landing gear bay of a Boeing 747. The hiding place would have exposed the man to temperatures as low as 60C below freezing and oxygen deprivation during the 11-and-a-half-hour flight from Cape Town.
Police are investigating but do not believe the death is suspicious. A BA spokesman said: "We are liaising with the South African authorities and Cape Town airport. They are investigating how this incident took place. This is a very rare and sad event and our thoughts are with the individual's family."Police are investigating but do not believe the death is suspicious. A BA spokesman said: "We are liaising with the South African authorities and Cape Town airport. They are investigating how this incident took place. This is a very rare and sad event and our thoughts are with the individual's family."
Metropolitan police officers and ambulance staff were called to the airport at 6.25am on Thursday, and the man was pronounced dead at 7.07am. A police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as non-suspicious. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the man's identity." Metropolitan police officers and ambulance staff were called to the airport at 6.25am, and the man was pronounced dead at 7.07am. A police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as non-suspicious. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the man's identity."
Airports Company South Africa, which runs Cape Town international airport, said a man had been spotted scaling its perimeter fence on Wednesday night and heading towards a BA plane preparing for takeoff. It said security officers had searched the airfield in vain.Airports Company South Africa, which runs Cape Town international airport, said a man had been spotted scaling its perimeter fence on Wednesday night and heading towards a BA plane preparing for takeoff. It said security officers had searched the airfield in vain.
The BA spokesman said stowaways were a rare occurrence on any passenger aircraft, and there was very little chance of surviving a flight in the landing gear bay. Anyone hiding in the compartment risks being crushed or burned by the wheels after the plane takes off.The BA spokesman said stowaways were a rare occurrence on any passenger aircraft, and there was very little chance of surviving a flight in the landing gear bay. Anyone hiding in the compartment risks being crushed or burned by the wheels after the plane takes off.
A Romanian man survived the far shorter flight from Vienna to Heathrow in June 2010 while stowed in the landing gear bay. Police attributed his escape to the fact that the plane flew at a far lower altitude than usual due to bad weather, at no more than 25,000ft during the one-hour journey. Most who chance such a perilous passage would be flying well above 30,000ft, where oxygen levels and temperatures make survival virtually impossible. A Romanian man survived the far shorter flight from Vienna to Heathrow two years ago while stowed in the landing gear bay. Police attributed his escape to the fact that the plane flew at a far lower altitude than usual due to bad weather, at no more than 25,000ft during the one-hour journey. Most who chance such a perilous passage would be flying well above 30,000ft, where oxygen levels and temperatures make survival virtually impossible.