View of the international departures area of the airport in Bogotá, Colombia, in March 2022. Sebastian Barros (Getty Images)
The Colombian authorities found the bodies of two young people hidden in the landing gear of a plane from Santiago de Chile on Friday at the Bogotá airport, according to the metropolitan police.
Avianca personnel found the lifeless bodies of the two boys, aged 15 and 20, when inspecting the aircraft.
The stowaways could have died due to the low temperatures experienced outside the plane during the journey.
The company has issued a statement: "Avianca regrets the situation presented on flight AV116 on the Santiago de Chile-Bogotá route, in which, upon arrival at El Dorado airport, airline personnel found the bodies of two people who flew irregular (stowaways) in the landing gear of the aircraft that attended the flight.
Immediately, the company activated the security protocol and alerted the authorities of Chile and Colombia to start the investigation of the case.
Avianca expresses its condolences to the relatives of these people”.
In that same letter, Avianca explains that at the beginning of each flight it inspects the aircraft and its perimeter.
Something must have gone wrong in this case so that the two young men could slip into the bottom of the plane without being seen.
In any case, the company recalls that airport security, control of restricted areas and the perimeter of the plane is the responsibility of the airport authorities.
"The airline is attentive to collaborate with the airport and the authorities to clarify the case and to take the necessary measures so that events like these do not occur again," the statement ends.
The Colombian prosecutor's office has taken over the case.
At the moment the identity of the victims is unknown.
Traveling on the airplane landing gear is an almost suicidal mission.
The chances of falling into the void during takeoff or landing are very high.
Even from being crushed when the mechanism retracts.
If that is exceeded, from 2,500 meters above sea level, suffering from hypothermia becomes a very real risk.
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