Body found in wheel well of passenger jet

Published on Monday 29 January 2007 11:52

A MAN'S body was found in the wheel well of a British Airways jumbo jet at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said today.

The 747-400 had arrived from London's Heathrow Airport yesterday afternoon local time and was to depart for a return flight about two hours later.

Authorities said they had not identified the victim today, saying only that he was a young black male.

Investigators are trying to determine if he got into the aircraft in Los Angeles, London, or a previous departure point.

The airline notified officials of the discovery about an hour after the plane landed, said airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles.

"One of the pilots was conducting a pre-flight check of the aircraft and the pilot discovered an unidentified body in the front right wheel well," Castles said.

On January 12, the body of a young African man was discovered in the wheel well of a Delta plane that landed in Atlanta from Dakar, Senegal.