# Unidentified bodies found in aircraft landing gear

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/unidentified-bodies-found-in-aircraft-landing-gear
> Updated: 2026-08-27T14:14:12.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

Separate incidents involving unidentified bodies discovered in aircraft landing gear compartments have been reported at major international airports.

In June 2026, an unidentified man was found in the wheel compartment of an Air Arabia flight arriving at London Gatwick Airport from Tangier, Morocco. A coroner determined the cause of death was a combination of cardiac arrest, hypoxia, and hypothermia, noting the extreme cold and low oxygen levels inherent to landing gear environments. An inquest into the death was opened in August 2026.

On August 27, 2026, a second unidentified body was discovered in the landing gear of an aircraft at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 following a flight from Tokyo, Japan. Maintenance personnel discovered the remains at approximately 6:55 AM after noticing a foul odor emanating from the right-side wheel well. 

Preliminary investigations by the Royal Malaysia Police and forensic teams suggest the individual, believed to be in their early 20s, had been dead for at least 72 hours. The deceased was found wearing a white hoodie with a dragon design on the back, light blue jeans, a brown leather belt, and black sports shoes. No identification documents were found on the person. Authorities have classified the case as a sudden death and are investigating how the individual accessed the aircraft compartment and the exact cause of death.

## Claims

- An unidentified body was discovered in the landing gear compartment of an aircraft at KLIA Terminal 2. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Maintenance personnel discovered the body after noticing a foul odor coming from the wheel well. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The deceased is estimated to have been dead for more than 72 hours. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The individual is believed to be in their early 20s. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- No identification documents were found on the body. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The body was found in the right-side landing gear compartment of an aircraft arriving from Tokyo. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The deceased was wearing a white hoodie with a dragon design and light blue jeans. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The case has been classified as a sudden death investigation. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-27: KLIA2: Unidentified body found in aircraft landing gear

An unidentified body, estimated to be in its early 20s, was found in the landing gear compartment of a plane arriving from Tokyo at Kuala Lumpur's KLIA2 airport.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/body-found-in-aircraft-landing-gear-at-kuala-lumpur-airport

### 2026-08-25: Gatwick Airport inquest opens into man found dead in plane landing gear

An inquest is investigating the unnatural death of an unidentified man found in the landing gear of an Air Arabia flight from Morocco at Gatwick Airport.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gatwick-airport-inquest-opens-into-man-found-dead-in-plane-landing-gear

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Cite as: Unidentified bodies found in aircraft landing gear. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/unidentified-bodies-found-in-aircraft-landing-gear