French authorities revealed on Thursday that a man, believed to be in his 20s, was discovered alive but with severe hypothermia in the landing gear compartment of a commercial aircraft that arrived in Paris from Algeria. The incident occurred during technical checks after the Air Algerie flight from Oran landed at Paris’s Orly airport in the mid-morning.
The man, who had no identification on him, was immediately taken to the hospital in serious condition, according to prosecutors. Initial reports from an airport source indicated that the man was alive but faced life-threatening conditions due to severe hypothermia.
Commercial aircraft typically cruise at altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet, where temperatures can drop to around -50 degrees Celsius (-58F). Moreover, the lack of oxygen in the landing gear compartment, which is neither heated nor pressurized, makes survival highly unlikely for anyone attempting such a journey.
According to data from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), known as wheel-well stowaways, 132 people attempted to travel in the landing gear compartments of commercial aircraft between 1947 and 2021. The mortality rate for individuals attempting this method of travel is reported to be 77 percent, based on FAA figures.
This incident is a reminder of the dangers associated with attempting to stow away in the landing gear compartments of aircraft, where extreme temperatures and lack of oxygen pose significant risks to human life. Aviation authorities continue to stress the importance of adherence to safety regulations to prevent such life-threatening situations.
