In a grim discovery earlier this month, two bodies were found hidden in the landing gear of a JetBlue plane at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The deceased were identified as Jeik Anilus Lusi and Elvis Borquez Castillo, according to NBC Miami. The two were found during a "routine post-flight maintenance inspection" on January 7.
Their discovery has sparked an investigation into how these two men managed to secretly board the aircraft. The Broward Sheriff's Office disclosed that deputies have traveled to the Dominican Republic to work with local authorities and meet with the victims' family members. According to an update by CBS12, the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office is in the process of conducting autopsies to determine the final causes of death, although asphyxiation has been reported as the likely cause.
Local authorities are now piecing together the timeline of events leading to the death of Lusi and Castillo. Margarita Luisi Elisma and Ironelis Castillo, the mothers of the deceased, have provided DNA samples to the deputies for this ongoing investigation. Ironelis Castillo told NBC6 that she had not heard from her son since January 4, when a neighborhood driver reportedly took him to a nearby airport.
JetBlue has committed to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities. “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 said in a statement obtained by Local10.com.
While the investigation has not disrupted airport operations, this incident inevitably reignites concerns over airport security measures in place to prevent individuals from going to such lengths to illegally board flights, risking their lives in the process. Previous cases and FAA reports show that the majority of stowaway attempts result in fatalities due to the extreme conditions at high altitudes.
