An unknown man found dead in the wheel compartment of a plane suffered in “extremely cold” conditions, an inquest has heard. The man died from cardiac arrest, where a lack of oxygen was also a factor.
Inquest opened in Horsham
West Sussex Brighton and Hove Area Coroner Joseph Turner opened the inquest at the coroner’s court in Horsham on Tuesday, August 25. The unknown person died on June 16.
A statement from coroner’s officer Alex Jones, read in court, said the unknown man was found within the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia plane that had arrived from Tangiers, Morocco. The plane was heading to Gatwick Airport.
Cause of death confirmed
A ground engineer had checked the area and the man was confirmed dead once he was located. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be cardiac arrest, followed by hypoxia and hypothermia.
The coroner noted that conditions inside the wheel compartment would have been extremely cold and that there would have been a lack of oxygen, as he formally opened the inquest on the basis he had “reason to believe this death was unnatural”.
Airport response and next steps
At the time of the incident, a London Gatwick spokesperson said: “London Gatwick’s emergency services attended an Air Arabia aircraft just after 11.30am on Tuesday June 16 2026 when an incident was identified upon arrival.
“As Sussex Police have confirmed, a body was found. Our teams subsequently supported Sussex Police and the coroner. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.”
The inquest has been adjourned until February 24 2027.
