Dead Body Found in United Airlines Wheel Well After Landing in Hawaii

United Airlines is investigating following the discovery of a dead body in a wheel well after one of its planes landed in Hawaii.

Reuters reports that according to the airline’s website, the corpse was found in one of the landing gear compartments of United Flight 202 as it touched down at Kahului Airport on Tuesday afternoon from Chicago O’Hare International Airport. No other details about the deceased were given.

“The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. At this time, it is not clear how or when the person accessed the wheel well,” a statement from United Airlines read.

A request for comment from the Federal Aviation Administration was not immediately answered, but the airline stated that it was assisting authorities with the investigation into the situation.

In airplanes’ unpressurized wheelhouses and cargo holds, stowaways may experience low oxygen levels and temperatures ranging from minus 50 to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 58 to minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit).

United Airlines Previously Flew Sick Kids to the ‘North Pole’

This sad bit of news comes shortly after United had a bit of positive press following its annual tradition of flying sick children to the “North Pole.”

For the past 30 years, United Airlines has run yearly Fantasy Flights during the holiday season. At hospitals around the United States, terminally ill children are given the chance to participate in immersive experiences that feature elves and messages from Santa Claus himself.

The plane took off, circled Denver for a bit, and then started to descend. Captain Bob Zimmerman, who commanded the flight this year, claimed that because the North Pole is a top-secret location, kids were instructed to draw their window shades as the plane descended once more.

The kids walked to a United Airlines hangar and disembarked as soon as the plane landed at the airport. The celebration included games, snacks, and a chance for children to sit on Santa’s lap and give him their Christmas wishes.

“It was a beautiful day when we took off, and leaving Denver was clear and crisp,” Zimmerman said about the fantasy flight. “Just a little bit of turbulence on the climb out, but once we headed north, it was a smooth ride all the way.”