A man’s body was found in the landing gear of an Air Arabia Maroc aircraft after it arrived at London Gatwick Airport (LGW) from Tangier, Morocco.
Emergency services were called after the body was discovered in the undercarriage of the aircraft at about 11:45 local time on June 16, 2026, according to Sussex Police.
The Airbus A320 was operating Air Arabia Maroc Flight 3O102 from Tangier to Gatwick, according to the airline.
“An incident was identified upon the arrival of Air Arabia Maroc Flight 3O102 from Tangier to London Gatwick on 16 June 2026, and the relevant authorities were immediately notified,” Air Arabia Maroc said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. We remain in close coordination with the relevant authorities with regards to the investigation,” the airline said.
Sussex Police said officers are investigating and that a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.
London Gatwick said airport emergency services attended an Air Arabia aircraft shortly after 11:30 after an incident was identified on arrival.
“As Sussex Police confirmed, a body was found and our teams subsequently supported Sussex Police and the coroner. Our thoughts are with everyone affected,” a Gatwick spokesperson said.
The aircraft had arrived from Tangier, Morocco, on Tuesday morning. The airline has not released further details about the man or how he came to be in the landing gear area.
The return flight to Tangier was delayed following the discovery, according to flight status data.
Aircraft wheel wells are among the most dangerous places in which to attempt to stow away. People hidden in landing gear bays can be crushed when the gear retracts, fall from the aircraft, or die from hypoxia and hypothermia at altitude.
A similar incident occurred at Gatwick in December 2022, when a man’s body was found in the undercarriage of a TUI Airways aircraft that had arrived from Banjul, Gambia. A UK inquest later found that the man died from hypothermia.