Discovery of 2 bodies in JetBlue plane sparks security concerns

Two bodies were discovered in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue Airways plane upon its arrival at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida, on Monday, raising questions about the adequacy of airport security measures.

The grim discovery was made during a routine post-flight maintenance inspection of the Airbus A320, which had landed at 7:49 p.m. after a three-hour and 21-minute flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to data from FlightAware.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a statement confirming the incident and noted that it is “working closely with the airline, airport authorities, the FAA, and law enforcement officials,” emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing.

JetBlue’s statement: How did they access the aircraft?

JetBlue released a written statement about the case on Tuesday, confirming the incident and stating that further explanation would be provided as the investigation is still ongoing.

“At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” JetBlue’s statement read.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office reported that the two deceased individuals were male, though their identities remain unknown. However, U.S. media has suggested that both men are believed to be Jamaican.

Jamaica’s Foreign Minister Kamina Smith addressed the reports on X, stating, “While there is speculation regarding the nationalities of the persons found, our information to date is that this matter remains under investigation by authorities, and the identities of the deceased individuals have yet to be officially confirmed.”

In a similar incident on Dec. 25, a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane that had traveled from Chicago O’Hare to Kahului Airport in Maui. Authorities have not yet disclosed how the individual managed to gain access to the aircraft.