The body of a stowaway was found in the landing gear of an aircraft at Schiphol today. A spokesman for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee tells NH News that the victim is being investigated. “It appears that the man died of hypothermia.”
It is not clear where the stowaway had climbed onto the plane. According to the spokesman, the plane “made several wanderings” and had Canada as its final destination. KLM also informs the regional broadcaster that it is investigating the circumstances and the identity of the deceased.
It is more common for refugees to try to hitch a ride on an airplane. Due to the extreme cold high in the air, the chance that someone survives such a trip is very small. The temperature can drop to more than 50 degrees below zero.
Last year, a man from South Africa was found in the wheel arch of an airplane at Schiphol Airport. He had survived the eleven-hour flight.
- Stowaway found in nosewheel cargo plane from South Africa
- Stowaway hides in wheel arch and survives flight to Maastricht
