Authorities are investigating the discovery of a body in the wheel well of a United Airlines Boeing 787-10 aircraft that landed at Kahului Airport in Maui on Tuesday. The body was found in the landing gear compartment shortly after United Flight 202 arrived from Chicago.
United Airlines confirmed the incident and stated it is cooperating fully with law enforcement during the investigation. The airline expressed its condolences and concern over the tragic situation.
The wheel well, accessible only from the outside of the aircraft, raises significant security questions about how the individual managed to enter the compartment and what circumstances led to the incident. Authorities have not yet released any information about the identity of the deceased or the timeline of events.
The investigation is ongoing as officials work to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding this unsettling discovery.
Earlier this year, a United Airlines flight halted taking off from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after an engine reportedly caught fire.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Flight 2091, an Airbus A320, was about to take off from the airport at the time when an engine caught fire.
An airport spokesman said the airplane experienced an “emergency situation” upon departure and the situation was resolved “safely.”
“We are working to make alternative travel arrangements for customers,” the airline said in a statement.
The flight, headed to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, had 148 passengers on board, with five crew members.
The Federal Aviation Administration is considering measures to more closely monitor United Airlines following a series of safety incidents among the airline.
The regulator has discussed temporary actions it might take with the airline’s leadership including preventing the carrier from adding new routes.
“The FAA’s safety assurance system routinely monitors all aspects of an airline’s operation,” the agency said in a statement.
