Posted on 06/19/2015 11:52:53 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The body of a suspected stowaway was found atop an office building in West London on Thursday, and is believed to have plunged around 1,400ft from a Boeing 747 as it approached Heathrow Airport.
Meanwhile, another man is in critical condition in hospital after being discovered an hour earlier in the undercarriage of the aircraft — British police are investigating both incidents.
The survivor is believed to have climbed aboard the British Airways plane at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg before traveling over 8,000 miles from South Africa, largely in temperatures as low as -81 Fahrenheit on the 10-hour journey.
His identity is yet to be released but it is understood that he was found unconscious in the plane and he is believed to be 24 years old.
...
In September 2012, a 30-year old from Mozambique, Jose Matada, died after falling from the undercarriage of a Heathrow-bound flight from Angola on to a street in Mortlake, about 10 miles from where the body was found on Thursday.
Survival rates of wheel way stowaways are very low. According to FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, between 1947 and 2012, 73 out of 96 recorded stowaways have died during their attempted journey.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.vice.com ...
SAD. ZUD AFRIKA Ain’t the place to be these days.. but then, WHEELWELL class Ain’t worth it unless ya make it to the tarmac.. Albeit frozen stiff.
A 24% survival rate . . . or a very inefficient way to commit suicide, whichever way you want to look at it.
Sounds like “Bye, Pinball!”
Bad odds.
And he probably didn’t earn any frequent flier miles, either.
NIAGARA FALLS!!!! Slowly I turned....step....by....step.....inch.....by.....inch......
I think the airlines should be resposible for the safety of their stowaways.
“but then, WHEELWELL class Ain’t worth it unless ya make it to the tarmac”
I agree. Last time I flew wheelwell class they didnt serve me my kosher meal.
The common man's "classic."
BINGO!!!
Wheelwell class? Last time I did it it was still called steerage.
“The survivor is believed to have climbed aboard the British Airways plane at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg before traveling over 8,000 miles from South Africa, largely in temperatures as low as -81 Fahrenheit on the 10-hour journey.”
Damn er, that must have had to hurt!
Easy fix: The United Nations should mandate upgrades to wheel-wells including pressurization, heat, and tasty snacks to facilitate “Immigration” and “Refugee Resettlement”. Send the bill to Europe and North America, aka, the only nations with positive rates of immigration.
There is not a problem that government can’t solve!
Spending hours at 35,000 feet in -40F temperatures...no thanks!
No TSA checkpoints for Wheel-Well passengers.
Sneaks into the country and immediately starts running up a large expense at hospital.
Wait just a minute. 8000 miles in 10 hours? A 747 can’t fly 800 mph.
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