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Audley Deidrick, President and CEO of the Airports Authority of Jamaica
By Kimone Witter
The Jamaican authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether two men found dead in the wheel well of a JetBlue plane on Monday, are Jamaicans.
According to CBS News, Broward sheriff's deputies and a medical examiner visited Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport overnight after the bodies were found in the aircraft's landing gear compartment.
In a statement Tuesday, JetBlue said the bodies were found during a routine inspection after the plane landed.
The airline said the identities of the individuals and the circumstances surrounding how they accessed the aircraft remain under investigation.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said the government is now in contact with US officials to determine whether the men are stowaways from the island.
According to Senator Johnson Smith, there is no clarity yet on the matter, adding that the government will provide the public with more details once it is available.
Radio Jamaica News was informed that Flight 1801 overnighted in Kingston after arriving from JFK, New York on Sunday, January 5.
The aircraft then flew to JFK, and on to Salt Lake City, Utah, then back to JFK before ending up in Fort Lauderdale.
Addressing the speculation about whether the deceased are Jamaicans, President of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, Audley Deidrick said the country has limited information on planes after they leave an airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the landing gear compartment is often used by stowaways, who don't realise how little space is available in the bay when the gear is retracted.
There have been other recent stowaway incidents that raised serious alarm over airport security during the busy holiday travel period.
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