Body found on plane after Shanghai to San Fran flight

Following a successful flight from Shanghai to San Francisco, a body was discovered in the nose wheel well of United Airlines flight 858. Mechanics discovered the body during a routine post-flight inspection after the plane landed at 7:42am, Thursday morning. According to investigators, the man was of Chinese Asian descent and in his 50s.

To add intrigue, the man was also found wearing "several layers of clothes" and appeared to have a few "obvious injuries". Although his over-dressing suggests the man was preparing for the cold temperatures (-40 degrees!) in the wheel well, the cause of death has yet to be announced, pending the completion of an autopsy.

One lingering question is: how did the man get onto the airplane in the first place? An American TSA (Transportation Security Administration) spokesman commented on this:

"How he went into wheel well, that would have to be addressed in Shanghai. Perimeter security at the Shanghai airport is the responsibility of Shanghai authorities."

So far, all evidence points to this incident as a security breach at the Pudong International Airport (or the fault of the western media). For the time being, United Airlines has taken the airplane out of service and the investigation continues. Although other details regarding this incident are murky to say the least, one lesson can be learned from this event: don't hide in the wheel well of a plane if you can't get your visa.

"People think they can make it into a country by hiding in a wheel well. Almost invariably they get crushed to death, freeze to death, or fall to death."

Duly noted.

Picture from Joits.