An unidentified man found dead in the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia flight at Gatwick Airport died from exposure to extreme cold and low oxygen levels, an inquest has heard.
The man’s body was discovered by a ground engineer during routine checks after the aircraft arrived at Gatwick from Tangier, Morocco, on June 16.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination found that the cause of death was cardiac arrest, hypoxia, or low oxygen levels, and hypothermia, the inquest heard.
Coroner Joseph Turner told Horsham Coroner’s Court on Tuesday (25) that conditions inside the aircraft’s wheel compartment would have been extremely cold and that oxygen levels would have been low.
Turner, the West Sussex, Brighton and Hove area coroner, said he had reason to believe the death was “unnatural.”
Gatwick Airport said emergency services attended an Air Arabia aircraft shortly after 11:30 a.m. on June 16 after an incident was identified following its arrival.
Sussex Police confirmed that a body had been found, while airport teams assisted police and the coroner.
The man’s identity has not yet been established.
The inquest was adjourned until Feb. 24, 2027. (Newswire)