This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
On Sunday, July 1, 2019, a tragic incident occurred when an unidentified male fell off a Kenya Airways flight to London as it began its descent to Heathrow Airport. The flight, which originated from Nairobi, had been in the air for nine hours.
The man's body landed in a garden in a residential property in Clapham, South London, at around 3:30 pm local time. Preliminary investigations suggest that the stowaway had concealed himself in the plane's rear left landing gear well.
After tracing the spot where the body fell to the plane's flight path, authorities conducted a search on Kenya Airways' flight 100 and discovered a bag, food, and water believed to be the stowaway's in the plane's landing gear compartment.
Kenya Airways issued a statement describing the incident as unfortunate and working with the police to identify the body. The airline stated that the incident has been treated as a sudden death and is now a police matter.
The carrier also assured that the aircraft was inspected and no damage was reported. It was cleared for operation, and the airline will remain in contact with authorities as they fully investigate the case.
The incident highlights the risks faced by stowaways, who often die due to freezing and lack of oxygen supply at high altitudes. The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has also issued a statement on the incident, assuring that safety and security are priorities at their airports.
