Stowaway’s body found after falling from KQ plane

Kenya Airways (KQ) #ticker:KQ is investigating a case in which a male body fell off the landing gear of its aircraft moments before landing at London’s Heathrow Airport.

The Metropolitan Police in London have informed KQ officials of the last Thursday incident.

KQ said in a statement Monday that at about 3.41pm (UK time), a body of a yet to be identified man landed in a garden in the Borough of Lambeth, South London suggesting the stowaway was hidden in the undercarriage of the aircraft.

“The incident has been treated as a sudden death and is now a police matter. The police have already been in contact with the Kenya High Commission to help identify and name the person,” KQ director of communications Dennis Kashero said.

“It is unfortunate that a person has lost his life by stowing aboard one of our aircraft and we express our condolences.”

The incidence shines spotlight on the quality of checks at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before the plane took off for the 6,840km flight that takes 8 hours and 50 minutes.

Stowing refers to secretly boarding vessels such as a ship, or an aircraft in order to travel without paying and without being detected.

KQ said the owner of the garden in which the stowaway fell had called the police who tracked the flight radar to KQ flight 100.

On inspecting the aircraft, the UK police discovered a bag containing food and some clothing at the rear left landing gear.