The bodies were found during ‘routine’ post-flight maintenance check on Monday night. The flight departed from New York’s JFK Airport.
While the identities of the deceased have not been disclosed, the authorities informed Daily Mail that they are probing how the people boarded the aircraft.
As police launched investigation into the deaths, deputies and medical examiners from the Broward Sheriff’s Office were seen outside the airport.
JetBlue issues statement
“On Monday evening, January 6, at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, two individuals were found in the landing gear compartment of one of our aircraft during the routine post-flight maintenance inspection,” JetBlue told the outlet in a statement,
“Tragically, both individuals were deceased. At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” it added.
Calling the situation “heartbreaking”, the airline ensured that they are committed to working closely with officials to assist their efforts to determine how this happened.
According to an airport official, the incident has no impact on flight operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport.
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Netizens call for security at airport
The incident has garnered several reactions online, with one user saying: “Time to tighten up airport protocols.”
“Well that’s a nightmare I never imagined,” another wrote.
“This is a serious problem. People getting on flights without boarding passes, people thinking they can stow away in the wheel area. This is crazy and shows that TSA has failed,” a third user said.
“This is sickening,” one more reacted.
