LONDON — A formal investigation has been launched after the body of a suspected stowaway was discovered inside the landing gear compartment of a commercial airliner at London Gatwick Airport.
The grim discovery was made by a cargo handling team at approximately 11:45 AM on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, while unloading an Air Arabia Maroc Airbus A320. The aircraft had just completed Flight 3O102, a standard three-hour international journey originating from Tangier-Ibn Battouta Airport in Morocco.
Emergency medical services and law enforcement rushed to the aircraft on the tarmac immediately following the alert.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police confirmed the incident, stating: “Police were called after the body of a man was found in the undercarriage of an aircraft at Gatwick Airport, arriving from Tangier, at about 11:45 AM on Tuesday, June 16. Officers are investigating and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.”
The discovery prompted a brief operational delay for the single-aisle Airbus A320’s scheduled return flight back to North Africa as forensic teams processed the scene.
