A dead body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines aircraft after it landed at Maui's airport in Hawaii on Christmas Eve. The flight took off from Chicago, according to Hawaii News Now. It remains unclear if the plane had any stopovers before arriving in Maui.
"The Maui Police Department is currently conducting an active investigation regarding a deceased individual discovered on an incoming flight from the mainland this afternoon. At this time, no further details are available," police said in a statement. Officials from the Hawaii Department of Transportation also confirmed the disturbing discovery on the aircraft. AN investigation already has been launched into the incident.
Gruesome Discovery
The gender or identity of the deceased has not yet been revealed by the authorities. It is also not clear if the person killed under the wheels was a stowaway. The flight was reportedly taking off from Chicago, though it remains unclear if it made other stops before arriving in Kahului.
State authorities confirmed that operations at the airport continue as usual and have not been impacted by the incident.
The incident comes on one of the year's busiest travel periods, with millions flying for the holidays. The Transportation Security Administration expects screening 40 million passengers through January 2.
Airlines anticipate their busiest travel days will be Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.
On Tuesday, American Airlines temporarily grounded all flights nationwide due to a technical issue, just as the Christmas travel season reached full swing and winter weather posed additional challenges for travelers by air and road.
The disruption led to widespread delays across American's major hubs, with only 36 percent of the airline's 3,901 domestic and international flights leaving on schedule, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Additionally, 51 flights were canceled.
Busy Travel Week
Unlike the intense surge during Thanksgiving, the holiday travel season spans several weeks, resulting in smaller peak days. However, the cumulative strain of consecutive busy days takes a toll on flight crews.
Even minor setbacks, such as a winter storm or a system failure, can quickly escalate into significant disruptions.
This holiday season marks the first since a new Transportation Department regulation came into effect, mandating airlines to provide automatic cash refunds for flights that are canceled or experience significant delays.
While most passengers were previously entitled to refunds, they typically had to actively request them.
