A body believed to belong to a person in their 20s was discovered inside the wheel compartment of an aircraft at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Aug. 27.
The discovery was made after engineering staff reportedly noticed a foul smell coming from the aircraft’s wheel compartment. The aircraft had arrived at KLIA2 from Tokyo, Japan, earlier that morning.
According to Malaysian media reports, the aircraft landed at around 6:30am. About 25 minutes later, at approximately 6:55am, engineering personnel reportedly detected the unusual smell and inspected the wheel compartment.
Body discovered inside aircraft
After opening the compartment, staff reportedly found the body of an individual wearing a white shirt and jeans.
Airport police were alerted to the discovery, while forensic personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police were subsequently called to the scene to examine the body and assist with investigations.
The person was believed to be in their 20s, although authorities have yet to establish their identity.
No identification documents were reportedly found on the body, leaving investigators to determine who the individual was and how they came to be inside the aircraft’s wheel compartment.
Preliminary findings suggest death occurred days earlier
Initial investigations indicated that the individual may have died more than 72 hours before the body was discovered.
The circumstances surrounding how the person entered the aircraft’s wheel compartment remain unclear. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s previous movements, its locations before arriving in Kuala Lumpur, and available airport security information as part of the inquiry.
Travelling inside an aircraft’s wheel compartment is extremely dangerous because the area is exposed to severe cold and low air pressure at cruising altitude. Such compartments are also not designed to accommodate passengers.
Malaysian authorities continue investigation
The discovery has prompted further investigations by Malaysian authorities, with forensic officers examining the scene and working to establish the person’s identity and cause of death.
Authorities have not publicly identified the individual at this stage, and details about how long they may have been inside the aircraft remain under investigation.
The aircraft’s journey from Tokyo to KLIA2 is also likely to form part of the investigation as officers work to establish the person’s movements before the body was found.
Further information is expected as the Royal Malaysia Police continue their investigations into the unusual discovery at the Malaysian airport.