An unidentified male body dropped off Kenya Airways flight 100 as it made its descent into London's Heathrow airport on Monday.
The incident which is reported to have happened at 3:41 pm (UK time) on June 30, 2019, led to the discovery of a stash claimed to belong to the deceased stowaway hidden in the landing gear section of the plane.
"The Metropolitan Police in London have informed Kenya Airways of a body that fell off the landing gear of its aircraft moments before the flight landed in London Heathrow Airport," an expert of the press statement signed by the KQ's Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Dennis Kashero affirmed.
It is believed that the dead man had hidden in the wheel well section of the plane hoping to survive the approximately 9-hour flight to the capital of the United Kingdom.
However, his daring attempt ended tragically as his lifeless body was seen dropping off the plane after the pilot opened up his landing gear during his final approach.
"A body of a yet to be identified male stowaway landed in a garden in the Borough of Lambeth, South London suggesting the stowaway was hidden in the undercarriage of the aircraft," a section of the statement released by KQ revealed.
The Boeing 787-8 (twin-jet) plane touched down at Heathrow airport at 3:56 pm (UK time), and the crew duly informed that the matter was now in the hands of the police.
Closer inspection revealed a bag containing food as well as some clothing hidden away at the left rear landing gear.
It is extremely rare for a person to survive a flight while stuck in the plane's wheel well due to the fact that as the aircraft climbs, the temperature outside drops to -63 degrees Fahrenheit at 34,000 feet, and plummets to -81 degrees Fahrenheit at 39,000 feet, according to an FAA study.
To put that into perspective, the stowaway on the Kenya Airways flight endured the equivalent of 9 hours outdoors at the South Pole wearing normal street clothes.
