Authorities are investigating the deaths of two people whose bodies were discovered in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft during a routine inspection at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Monday night.
The grim discovery has sparked an international investigation, with officials working to determine both the identities of the deceased and how they accessed the aircraft. The plane had made stops in Kingston, Jamaica, and Salt Lake City, Utah, before flying from New York to Fort Lauderdale, according to FlightAware.com.
“This is a heartbreaking situation,” JetBlue said in a statement to The Associated Press, pledging full cooperation with investigators.
Kamina Smith, Jamaica’s minister of foreign affairs, cautioned against speculation about the victims’ nationalities. “There is no immediate basis on which to conclude that they are Jamaicans,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Both victims are believed to be male, according to Carey Codd, spokesman for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Paramedics declared them dead at the scene, and autopsies are planned to determine the cause of death.
The incident marks the second such discovery in recent weeks, following the December finding of a body in a United Airlines wheel well in Maui.