JetBlue has released a statement after two men were found dead inside the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft Monday night at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The bodies were discovered in the wheel well area during a routine post-flight inspection, the airline said in the statement.
The aircraft had arrived in Fort Lauderdale shortly after 11 p.m. from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. It had originated in Kingston, Jamaica, before stopping at JFK, Salt Lake City International Airport, JFK again and then Fort Lauderdale, a senior government official told NBC News.
“At this time, the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation,” JetBlue’s statement said.
“This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred,” the airline added.
Deputies with the Broward County Sheriff's Office responded at around 11:30 p.m. and pronounced both people dead at the scene. The identities of the two people were unknown, but BSO spokesperson Carey Codd said the deceased were men.
"It certainly is a heartbreaking and very tragic situation," Codd told reporters at a news conference Tuesday morning.
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The agency’s homicide and crime scene units are investigating, Codd added.
In a statement, the Transportation Security Administration said the agency was "working closely with the airline, airport, FAA, and law enforcement officials," and that the incident remained under investigation.
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The incident comes weeks after a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui. The airline told NBC News the area where the body was found is only accessible from outside the aircraft.
"United is working with law enforcement authorities on the investigation," United said in a statement about the incident.
