Man found barely alive in landing gear of Algeria flight to Paris

A man in his 20s was discovered on Thursday in the landing gear compartment of an Air Algerie flight from Oran, Algeria, to Paris's Orly airport. Despite severe hypothermia, he was alive. The man, who had no ID on him, was found during technical checks after the plane landed. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Traveling in the landing gear compartment of commercial aircraft is extremely dangerous due to low temperatures and lack of oxygen. According to US Federal Aviation Administration data, 132 people attempted to travel in landing gear compartments between 1947 and 2021, with a mortality rate of 77%.

Commercial aircraft cruise at altitudes of 30,000 to 40,000 feet, where temperatures typically drop to around minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 F). The lack of oxygen and extreme conditions make survival highly unlikely for anyone attempting to stow away in the landing gear compartment. The man's discovery highlights the significant risks associated with such attempts, as the compartment is neither heated nor pressurized.

In April of this year, a similar incident occurred when the body of a man was discovered in the landing gear of an aircraft at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. The flight had originated from Toronto but previously took off from Nigeria. Four months earlier, two passengers were found dead in the landing gear storage space of a flight between Santiago de Chile and Bogota.

The mortality rate for individuals attempting to travel in the landing gear compartment is strikingly high, as indicated by FAA figures, with 77% of such attempts resulting in death. The challenges of extreme temperatures, lack of oxygen, and physical stress during flight pose insurmountable risks to stowaways, making this method of travel exceptionally hazardous. Despite the dire consequences, individuals continue to attempt such journeys, often driven by desperation or a lack of alternative means of transportation.